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DEBATES   AND   PROCEEDINGS 


OF    THE 


NATIONAL  COUNCIL 


OF 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES, 


HELD     AT 


B0ST0:N',   MASS.,   JIJK"E    14-24,    1865. 


FBOM  THE  PHONOGRAPHIC  REPORT  BT 


J.  M.  W.  YERRINTON  and  HENRY  M.  PARKHURST. 


BOSTON: 
A^IERICAN    CONGREGATIONAL    ASSOCIATION, 

23   Chauncy   Street. 
1866. 


■ »  ■ :   1  ; 

r 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congmf ,  in  the  year  1806,  bj 

ISAAC  P.  LANGWOBTUT, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Masmchnietts. 


MS 

Oop-    I 


PREFACE. 


When  the  Congregational  Churclies  of  tlie  United  States  were 
about  to  assemble  in  National  Council  in  the  year  1865,  the  Committee 
of  Arrangements,  in  Boston,  —  Rev.  Andrew  L.  Stone,  of  Boston,  chair- 
man, —  secured  the  services  of  a  phonographic  reporter  for  the  entire 
se:%sion  of  the  Council.  This  arrangement  was  officially  sanctioned 
by  the  Council  itself;  and  a  complete  report  of  the  debates  and  pro- 
ceedings, made  by  men  of  eminent  ability  in  that  work,  was  thus  ob- 
tained. Their  manuscripts,  with  the  original  records  and  jiapers,  were, 
by  vote  of  the  Council,  placed  on  perpetual  deposit  with  the  Directors  of 
the  American  Congregational  Association ;  and  the  Directors  were 
**  authorized  to  publish  a  volume  of  proceedings  and  debates." 

The  Directors  believed  that  a  volume  containing  the  acts  and  dis- 
cussions eyitire  would  be  of  permanent  historical  value  as  well  as 
of  present  interest  to  the  cliurches.  They  determined  K)  publish  it,  and 
appointed  Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  Rev. 
Henry  ^L  Dexter,  Edward  S.  Tobey,  Esq.,  and  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson, 
D.  D.,  to  edit  the  work  and  carry  it  through  the  press.  That  commit- 
tee placed  it  in  the  hands  of  a  sub-committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  A.  H. 
Quint,  and  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  who  have  superintended  the 
])ublication  of  this  volume. 

In  the  execution  of  this  duty,  the  main  object  has  been  to  give  to 
the  public  a  faithful  and  exact  copy  of  the  i)honographic  report.  That 
rt?port  has  been  varied  from  only  in  the  following  i)articulai's  :  State- 
ments introductory  to  items  of  business  have  been  occasionally  modified 
to  secure  uniformity  in  style ;  the  names  of  members  have  been  cor- 
rected when  misstated;  for  occasional  abstracts  of  votes,   the  full 

(V) 


^^  PRKFACE. 

oflficial  language  lias  been  substituted,  and  a  few  changes  have  been 
found  necessary  on  comparison  with  the  record  of  the  secretaries  ;  and 
manifest  errors  in  phraseology  (extremely  rare)  have  been  corrected, 
although  only  uj>on  the  suggestion  of  those  whose  authority  was  un- 
questionable. The  fidelity  of  the  phonographers  has  proved  to  be 
worthy  of  special  mention. 

It  was  also  thought  desirable  to  insert  an  account  of  the  various 
proceedings  of  different  ecclesiastical  bodies  j)reliminary  to,  and  result- 
ing in,  the  assembly  of  the  Council ;  and  to  add  freely  any  explanatory 
notes  which  seemed  needed,  to  make  a  complete  historical  record.  Tlie 
list  of  members,  with  their  nativity,  prepared  by  Rev.  Increase  N.  Tar- 
box,  and  inserted  at  the  close  of  the  work,  will  doubtless  be  appre- 
ciated. As  a  matter  of  historical  interest,  a  brief  account  of  the 
several  Synods  or  C-oun(nls,  general  or  nearly  so,  which  have  been 
held  by  the  American  Congregational  Churches,  has  been  prefixed ; 
and  full  indexes  of  topics  and  names  are  added  at  the  close. 

The  committee  trust  that  this  work  will  be  of  permanent  historical 
value;  as  well  as  meet  the  wishes  of  that  large  body  of  Christian 
churches  which  felt  called  by  God  to  deliberate  u^wn  new  duties  in  a 
day  marked  by  the  downfall  of  treason,  and  the  deliverance  of  mil- 
lions from  human  slavery, 

Aloxzo  H.  Quint,     / 

Isaac  P.  L.ixow^orthy, 

Henry  M.  Dextkr, 

Edward  S.  Torey, 

RuFus  Anderson, 

.  Committee. 

BoBtoD,  Massachusetts,  May,  1866. 


CONTENTS. 


Previous  Synods  or  Councils  held  by  the  Ameri- 

c^vx  Congregational  Churches.       .          .          .  ix-xrv 

Proceedings   Preliminary   to  the  Assembling   of 

THE  Council  of  1865,           ....  1-18 

Debates  and  Proceedings,            ....  19-500 

First  Day,            .....  19-30 

Second  Day,    ......  30-79 

Third  Day,            .....  79-147 

Fourth  Day,             .....  147-19C 

Fifth  Day, 190-250 

Sixth  Day, 250-301 

Seventh  Day, 301-361 

Eighth  Day, 361-383 

Ninth  Day, 384-447 

Tenth  Day,    ......  447-500 

Names  and  Nativities  of  the  Members,    .          .  501-516 

Index  of  Subjects,    ......  517-522 

Index  of  Names,     ......  523-530 


PREVIOUS    SYNODS    OR   COUNCILS 

HELD  BT  THB 

AMERICAN  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES. 


General  Synods  have  been  few  in  the  history  of  American 
Congregationalism.  In  the. denial  of  any  central  human  au- 
thority,—  a  principle  fundamental  in  this  polity, —  they  have 
been  convened  only  by  mutual  consent ;  and,  necessarily,  only 
when  some  matter  of  "  common  concern "  seemed  to  the 
churches  to  be  of  sufficient  importance  to  require  such  a  pro- 
ceeding.    It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  that 

"  The  proper  function  of  a  synod  is  not  to  legislate  for  the  churches, 
nor  to  determine  imperatively  any  question  which  is  not  already  deter- 
mined by  the  Scriptures,  but  by  inquiry  and  brotherly  conference,  with 
prayer  for  divine  illumination,  to  obtain  and  hold  forth  light  on  such 
matters  as  the  churches  have  referred  to  its  deliberations."  * 

Tlie  first  Synod  was  held  in  1637.  It  was  called  after  con- 
sultation of  *'  sundry  elders  and  brethren,"  ^  in  consequence 
of  the  disturbances  caused  by  the  speculations  of  John  Wheel- 
wright, Mistress  Anne  Hutchinson,  and  others.  It  met  on  the 
thirtieth  day  of  August,  1637,  at  Newtown,  now  Cambridge, 
Mass. ;  consisted  of  "  all  the  teaching  elders  through  the  coun- 
try,"^ and  of  "messengers  from  the  churches,"*  —  "about 
twenty-five  godly  ministers  of  Christ,  besides  many  other  gra- 
ciously-eminent servants  of  his ; "  ^  chose  Rev.  Peter  Bulkley, 
of  Concord,  and  Rev.  Thomas  Hooker,  of  Hartford,  modera- 
tors ;  examined  and  condemned  "  eighty  [eighty-two]  erroneous 

1  Page  124. 

*  Cotton's  Way  of  the  Congregational  Churches  Cleared.    Ed.  1648,  p.  40. 

*  Winthrop's  Journal,  Savage's  Ed.  1863, 1.  285. 

*  Cotton's  Way,  p.  40. 

*  The  number  of  churches  then  existing, appears  to  be  as  follows:  Massachusetts  Bay, 
Uiirteen;  Plymouth,  four;  Connecticut,  two;  total,  nineteen.  Possibly  two  or  three 
others,  whose  dates  are  doubtful,  may  have  been  in  existence. 

(IX) 


X  PREVIOUS   SYNODS. 

opiuions,"  and  nine  "unwholesome  expressions,"  and  decided 
a  few  points  of  church  order;  and  dissolved  on  the  twenty 
second  day  of  September. 

The  erroneous  opinions  and  unwholesome  expressions,  are, 
almost  entirely,  minute  subdivisions  of  alleged  errors  regarding 
the  doctrines  of  justification  and  sanctification.^ 

The  second  Synod  convened  at  Cambridge,  on  the  first  day 
of  September,  1646 ;  after  "  about  fourteen  days,"  adjourned 
to  the  eighth  day  of  June,  1647,  "  in  regard  of  winter  drawing 
on,  and  few  of  the  elders  of  other  colonies  were  present ; "  ^ 
met  on  the  day  appohited,  but  almost  immediately  adjourned, 
on  account  of  an  "  epidemical  sickness ; "  met  again  on  the 
fifteenth  of  August,  1648 ;  and  "ended  in  less  than  fourteen 
days."  8 

This  Synod  was  called  by  the  General  Court  of  Massachu- 
setts,* upon  the  suggestion  of  "  some  of  the  elders ; "  the  pro- 
posed order  of  the  court  being  changed  to  a  "  desire,"  on 
account  of  the  scruples  of  some  in  regard  to  the  right  of  civil 
magistrates  to  "  assemble  the  churches."  The  Synod  confined 
itself  to  a  Declaration  of  Faith,  and  a  Platform  of  Church  Dis- 
cipline.   For  the  former :  — 

"  This  Synod  having  perused  and  considered  (with  much  gladness  of 
heart,  and  thankfulness  to  God)  the  Confession  of  Faith  published  of 
late  by  the  Reverend  Assembly  [the  Westminster]  in  Eivglaml^  do  judge 
it  to  be  very  holy,  orthodox,  and  judicious  in  all  matters  of  Faith;  and 
do  therefore  freely  and  fully  consent  thereunto,  for  the  substance 
thereof."  • 

For  Church  Discipline,  it  set  forth  what  is  known  as  the 
"  Cambridge  Platform,"  which  was  mainly  from  the  pen  of 
Bichard  Mather.     Their  result  was  submitted  to  the  General 

1  They  are  found  in  "A  short  Story  of  the  Rise,  Reign,  and  Rain  of  Antinomians, 
Familists,  and  Libertines,  that  infected  New  England,"  a  documentary  kind  of  work 
with  preface  by  Rev.  Thomas  Weld,  published  in  1644 ;  and  are  reproduce<l  in  Felt's 
Ecclesiastical  History  of  New  England,  I.  816--8.  Mr.  John  Uigginson  was  employed  by 
the  synod  to  report  its  proceedings  in  short-hand,  and  prepared  the  copy  for  the  press; 
but  it  was  not  printed.    Mass.  Records,  II.  52. 

*  The  number  of  churches  then  existing  appears  to  have  been,  —  in  Massachusetts 
Bi^,  twenty-nine;  in  Maine,  one;  in  New  Hampshire,  three;  in  Plymouth,  ten;  in 
Connecticut,  ten ;  total,  fiflj'-three. 

*  Winthrop*s  Journal,  of  the  dates  specified. 
«  Mass.  Records,  III.  70-2. 

*  Besults  of  Three  Synods.    Ed.  1726,  p.  iiL 


PREVIOUS    SYNODS,  XI 

Court,  which,  in  1649,  commended  it  to  the  "judicious  and  pious 
consideration  of  the  several  churches."  It  was  generally  ap- 
proved ;  was  endorsed  by  subsequent  councils,  and  became  the 
exponent  of  the  Congregational  polity. 

There  was  no  general  synod  or  council  from  that  of  1648  to 
the  Convention  at  Albany  in  1852.  But  there  were  partial 
synods  at  several  times,  whose  results  were  so  important  as  to 
require  notice. 

The  Synod  of  1662  was  confined  to  Massachusetts.  It  was 
called  by  the  General  Court's  "  order  and  desire,"  as  declared 
on  the  thirty-first  day  of  December,  1661,  and  met  at  Boston, 
consisting  of  above  seventy  elders  and  messengers,  on  the  tenth 
day  of  March,  1662.  On  the  next  day,  finding  that  the  ques- 
tions before  them  required  more  time  than  could  be  then 
given,  the  Synod  adjourned  to  the  tenth  day  of  June.  It  then 
met,  and  again  adjourned  on  the  fourth  day  of  July ;  assejnbled 
on  the  ninth  day  of  September,  and  soon  closed  its  sessions. 

The  two  questions  submitted  to  this  Synod  by  the  General 
Court,  were,  1.  Who  are  the  subjects  of  baptism  ?  2.  Whether, 
according  to  the  word  of  God,  there  ought  to  be  a  consociation 
of  churches,  and  what  should  be  the  manner  of  it  ?  ^  In  reply 
to  the  first,  the  synod  recommended  the  disastrous  "  half-way 
covenant ; "  by  which,  persons  baptized  in  infancy,  and  therefore 
members  of  the  church,  might  "  own  the  covenant,"  if  not 
scandalous  in  their  lives,  without  coming  into  full  communion  ; 
and  might  thus  be  entitled  to  have  their  children  baptized.  It 
met  wilh  strong  opposition,  and  never  universally  prevailed. 
Upon  the  second  question,  the  Synod  recommended  nothing 
materially  different  from  the  Platform  of  1648. 

The  result  was  submitted  to  the  General  Court  in  October, 
1662,  was  ordered  to  be  printed,  with  a  preface  by  Mr.  Mitch- 
ell, and  was  commended  "  unto  the  consideration  of  all  the 
churches  and  people  of  this  jurisdiction."  ^ 

The  Synod  of  1679-80,  known  as  the  "  Reforming  Synod," 
was  also  confined  to  Massachusetts.  It  was  called  by  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  at  its  session  of  May,  1679,  upon  "  a  motion  made 
by  some  of  the  reverend  elders,"  ^  and  met  at  Boston,  on  the 

^  Bfjiss.  Records,  v.  IV.  part  ii.  30.  *  Same,  p.  60,  62. 

*  Mass.  Records,  V.  215. 


XII  PREMOUS   SYNODS. 

tenth  day  of  September.  Rev.  John  Sherman  and  Rev.  Urian 
Oakes  were  moderators.  The  questions  before  it  were,  1.  What 
are  the  evils  that  have  provoked  the  Lord  to  bring  his  judg- 
ments on  New  England  ?  2.  What  is  to  be  done,  that  so  these 
evils  may  be  reformed  ?  The  Synod  held  two  sessions ;  unani- 
mously approved  the  Platform  of  1648  ;  spent  "  several  days  "  ^ 
in  discussing  the  questions  presented ;  and  adjourned  on  the 
19th.  The  result,  which  was  drawn  up  by  Increase  Mather, 
was  presented  to  the  Greneral  Court,  October  15, 1679,^  which 
commended  them  to  the  "  serious  consideration  of  all  the 
churches  and  people  of  this  jurisdiction,"  and  ordered  the 
report  to  be  printed. 

The  same  Synod  held  a  second  session,  on  the  twelfth  of 
May,  1680,  —  Increase  Mather,  moderator,  —  and  "consulted 
and  considered  of  a  Confession  of  Faith."  ^  It  adopted,  with 
slight  variations,  the  Confession  consented  to  by  the  Congrega- 
tional. Churches  of  England,  at  the  Savoy,  in  1658,  which  was, 
"  for  the  most  part,  some  small  variations  excepted,  the  same 
with  that  which  was  agreed  upon  first  by  the  Assembly  at  West- 
minster, and  was  approved  of  by  the  Synod  at  Cambridge,  in 
New  England,  Anno  1648.*  "  That  little  variation,"  says  the 
Synod, "  which  we  have  made  from  the  one,  in  compliance  with 
the  other,  may  be  seen  by  those  who  please  to  compare  them." 
This  Confession  was  ordered,  by  the  General  Court,^  to  be 
printed. 

.  The  Synod,  which  met  at  Saybrook,  in  1708,  was  confined  to 
Connecticut.  It  was  called,  May  24,  1708,  by  the  Legislature, 
which  had  been  "  made  sensible  of  the  defects  of  discipline  in 
the  churches  of  this  government,  arising  from  the  want  of  more 
explicit  asserting  of  the  rules  given  for  that  end  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  from  which  would  arise  a  permanent  establishment 
among  ourselves,  a  good  and  regular  issue  in  cases  subject  to 
ecclesiastical  discipline,  glory  to  Christ  our  head,  and  edificar 
tion  to  his  members."  The  Legislature  directed  that  the  min- 
isters of  the  several  counties  should  meet  at  the  county  towns, 
with  such  messengers  as  the  churches  should  send,  consider  and 
agree  \ipon  methods  and  rules  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,  and 

1  Results  of  Three  Synods,  Kd.  1726,  p.  vi.  »  Mass.  Records,  V.  244. 

*  Preface  to  Result.  *  Ibid. 

•  Mass.  Records,  V.  287. 


PRE\10US   SYNODS.  XIII 

appoint  two  or  more  of  their  number  to  meet  at  Saybrook; 
there  to  "  draw  a  form  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,"  to  be  laid 
before  the  Legislature  at  its  October  session. 

The  Synod  met  at  Saybrook  on  the  ninth  of  September. 
Rev.  James  Noyes,  of  Stonington,  and  Eev.  Thomas  Buckingr 
ham,  of  Saybrook,  were  moderators.  The  first  act  of  this  Synod 
was  to  accept  the  Confession  of  Faith  set  forth  by  the  Massa- 
chusetts Synod  of  1680.  The  second,  was  to  "  agree,  also,  that 
the  Heads  of  Agreement  assented  to  by  the  United  Ministers, 
formerly  called  Presbyterian  and  Congregational,  be  observed 
by  the  churches  throughout  this  Colony  ;  "  the  Heads  of  Agree- 
ment adopted  in  London,  in  1691.  The  main  work,  however, 
was  the  adoption  of  fifteen  "  Articles  of  Discipline,"  which 
established  the  consociation  system.  The  entire  platform  was 
reported  to  the  Legislature,  at  its  October  session  ;  which  or- 
dahied  "  that  all  the  churches  within  this  government,  that  are, 
or  shall  be,  thus  united  in  doctrine,  worship,  and  discipline,  be, 
and  for  the  future  shall  be,  owned  and  acknowledged  established 
by  law."  1 

More  than  two  hundred  years  had  elapsed  before  the  American 
churches  again  met  in  council.  The  third  general  Synod,^ 
known  as  "  a  Convention  of  Ministers  and  Delegates  of  Congre- 
gational Churches  in  the  United  States ; "  ^  met  "  in  accord- 
ance with  a  call  issued  by  direction  of  the  General  Association 
of  New  York."  It  assembled  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  on  the  fifth 
day  of  October,  1852  ;  consisted  of  four  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  elders  and  messengers  from  churches  in  seventeen  States ; 
chose  Rev.  William  T.  Dwight,  d.  d.,  of  Maine,  President,  and 
Rev.  Noah  Porter,  d.  d.,  of  Connecticut,  and  Rev.  Asa  Turner  ' 
of  Iowa,  Vice-Presidents  ;  and  dissolved  on  the  eighth  day  of 
October. 

1  See  Historical  Discourse,  by  Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  D.  D.,  in  Contributions  to  the 
Ecclesiastical  History  of  Connecticut. 

*  Proceedings. 

■  The  number  of  churches  then  existing  in  the  United  States  has  not  been  computed 
with  accuracy.  They  numbered,  probably,  not  far  from  two  thousand.  An  estimate  by 
Rev.  Joseph  S.  Clark,  d.  d.,  in  1847,  made  the  number  to  be  one  thousand  five  hundred 
and  ninety -five,  at  that  date.  Careful  statistics  found  in  1858,  two  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  eighty-tive.  In  the  year  1865,  that  of  the  National  Council  at  Boston,  the 
number  was  two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  twenty -three  (not  including,  of  course, 
the  churches  outside  the  limits  of  the  United  States),  with  two  hundred  and  sixty-three 
thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-six  members ;  and  of  ministers,  two  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  two. 


XIV  PREVIOUS   SYNODS. 

The  main  subjects  upon  which  the  Convention  acted,  were, 
1.  The  subject  of  aiding  feeble  churches  at  the  West,  in  build- 
ing church  edifices.  2.  Tlio  construction  and  practical  opera- 
tion of  the  "  Plan  of  Union  between  Presbyterians  and  Con^gre- 
gationalists,"  agreed  upon  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  and  the  General  Association  of  Connecti- 
cut in  the  year  1801. 

Upon  the  first,  the  Convention  adopted  a  plan  for  raising  the, 
sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  at  once,  and  for  its  apportionment 
and  use. 

Upon  the  second,  the  Convention  found  that  the  Plan  had 
been  repudiated  by  the  General  Assembly  before  the  schism  of 
1838,  but  was  acknowledged  as  in  force  by  one  branch  of  that 
church ;  that  although  so  acknowledged,  it  was  not  maintained 
in  its  integrity,  and  that  its  oiKJration  was  now  "  unfavorable  to 
the  spread  of  and  permanence  of  the  Congregatioiial  polity,  and 
even  to  the  real  harmony  of  these  Christian  communities ;  "  and 
therefore  unanimously  declared  its  continuance  to  be  inexpe- 
dient. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  Council,  whose  proceedings  are 
published  in  this  volume,  is  the  fourth  General  Synod  or  Coun- 
cil in  the  history  of  the  American  Congregational  Churches. 


Debates  and  Proceedings. 


PEELIMINART  PROCEEDINGS. 


THE    PROPOSAL. 

The  circumstances  of  the  country,  emerging  as  it  was  jfrom 
the  war  by  whose  success  the  existence  and  safety  of  the  nation 
were  to  be  assured,  had  led  to  a  wide-spread  feeling  that  the 
Congregational  Churches  of  the  United  States  ought  to  consult 
together  upon  their  duties  and  opportunities.  Suggestions  to 
this  effect  were  repeatedly  made.  Recognizing  this  feelings 
The  Convention  op  the  Congregational  Churches  op  the 
North- West,  —  a  body  organized  with  special  reference  to  the 
Chicago  Theological  Seminary,  —  at  its  Triennial  Meeting  held 
in  April,  1864,  adopted  the  following :  — 

Whereas,  By  the  present  war,  the  structure  of  society  and  of  eccle- 
Biastical  organization  is  being  dissolved  or  greatly  changed  through  a 
large  section  of  the  United  States,  and  the  shackles  are  being  struck 
from  millions  of  slaves ;  and 

Whereas,  Thus  vast  regions  and  populations  are  being  opened  to 
fi^e  thought,  speech,  and  free  missions,  that  have  heretofore  been  sealed 
against  them;  and 

Whereas,  Ideas  and  emigration  from  the  Free  States  are  likely  to 
follow  the  triumph  of  the  Union  cause  southward;  therefore  be  it 

Besolved,  1.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Congregational  churches  of 

"the  United  States  to  inquire  what  is  their  duty  in  this  vast  and  solemn 

crisis,  such  as  comes  only  once  in  ages,  and  what  new  efforts,  measures, 

and  policies  they  may  owe  to  this  condition  of  affairs,  —  this  new  genesis 

of  nations. 

Besolved,  2.  That  the  crisis  demands  general  consultation,  co-operar 
tion,  and  concert  among  our  churches,  and  to  these  ends,  requires  ex- 
tensive correspondence  among  our  ecclesiastical  associations,  or  the 
assembling  of  a  National  Congregational  Convention. 

Besolved,  3.  That  we  believe  no  ecclesiastical  order  has  a  right  to 

exist  which  has  not  also  the  right  and  duty  of  self-extension,  nor  will 

any  such  order  prosper  that  does  not  recognize  and  assert  such  right 

and  duty. 

1 


2  PRELIMINARY    PROCEEDINGS. 

Besolved,  4.  That  it  is  due  the  principles  of  church  order  which  we 
hold,  and  our  convictions  of  their  vital  value  and  vast  benefits,  that  we 
aim  by  all  proper  means  to  diffuse  them ;  and  that  recognizing  no  restric- 
tive limit  of  section  or  race,  we  believe  them  to  be  the  universal  right 
and  property  of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  the  race  of  man. 

Besolved,  6.  That  we  believe  it  due  to  our  principles,  especially  in 
this  present  crisis,  that  there  be  a  more  general  and  thorough  indoctri- 
nation in  them  of  our  Theological  Seminaries,  our  Ministry,  and  our 
Churches,  and  that  more  of  general  and  national  concert  and  co-opera- 
tion should,  by  correspondence  and  convention,  be  secured  among  us,  — 
especially  for  missionary  and  aggressive  action,  —  an  action  which  shall 
bear,  together  with  the  gospel,  those  ideas  and  principles  of  church 
^  order  which  we  believe  best  adapted  to  diffuse  with  evangelical  truth^ 
evangelical  liberty,  and  most  beneficially  to  organize  both  church  and 
/  society. 

The  General  Association  op  Ilunois,  at  its  session  held  in 
Quincy,  May  27, 1864,  upon  consideration  of  the  above  proposal, 
adopted  the  following,  which  had  been  reported  by  Rev.  J.  M. 
Sturtevant,  d.  d.,  chairman  of  a  committee  to  whom  the  sub- 
ject had  been  referred :  — 

Whereas,  This  Association  adopts  the  sentiments  and  views  in 
said  resolutions  expressed,  and  desires  to  see  them  carried  into  prac- 
tical effect;  therefore, 

Beaolved,  1.  That  a  National  Convention  of  Congregationalists  be 
invited  to  assemble  at  Springfield,  Mass.,  or  Albany,  N.  Y.,  on  the  first 
Tuesday,  the  6th  day  of  September  next,  or  at  such  other  time  and  place 
as  may  be  agreed  upon  after  correspondence  with  the  brethren  in  other 
parts  of  the  country. 

Besolved^  2.  That  a  Committee  of  three  be  apxK)inted  by  the  Associa- 
tion to  lay  this  proposition  before  other  General  Associations,  Confer- 
ences and  Conventions  hereafter  to  meet,  and  to  act  with  any  Commit- 
tees which  they  may  appoint,  in  fixing  definitely  the  time  and  place  of 
meeting,  and  in  making  all  other  necessary  arrangements  for  the  same. 

Besolvedj  3.  That  this  Association  recommend,  as  the  basis  of  the 
Convention,  the  following,  viz.:  That  each  Orthodox  Congregational 
Church  in  the  United  States,  and  the  British  Provinces  of  North  Amer- 
ica, be  invited  to  send  as  delegates  their  acting  pastor  or  pastors,  and 
one  other  member;  and  to  provide,  if  necessary,  for  paying  their  ex- 
penses to  and  from  the  Convention. 

Resolved,  4.  That  copies  of  this  Minute  be  transmitted  to  religious 
newspapers  of  our  denomination,  for  insertion. 

The  Congregational  Conference  op  Ohio,  at  its  session  held 
in  Springfield,  June  10,  1864,  approved  of  the  proposal,  and 
adopted  also  the  following :  — 


FRELIMINART   PROOEEDIN08.  8 

Besolved^  That  the  Ohio  Congregational  Conference,  in  accordance 
with  the  wishes  of  the  pastors  and  delegates  of  the  Cleveland  churches 
represented  here,  tender  a  cordial  invitation  to  the  churches  of  our  faith 
and  order  throughout  the  country,  to  meet  at  Cleveland,  at  whatever 
time  may  be  determined  by  general,  correspondence. 

These  papers  were  forwarded  to  the  General  Associations 
and  Conferences  throughout  the  country,  and  met  with  an 
almost  unanimous  approval  by  these  bodies  at  their  several  ses- 
sions. The  General  Association  of  Indiana  ratified  the  pro- 
posal, May  20 ;  the  General  Association  of  Michigan,  May  21 ; 
the  General  Association  of  Iowa,  June  3 ;  the  Congregational 
Conference  of  Rhode  Island,  June  15 ;  the  General  Conference 
of  Maine,  June  21 ;  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut, 
June  23  ;  the  General  Convention  of  Vermont,  June  23 ;  the 
General  Association  of  Massachusetts,  June  30  ;  the  General 
Association  of  New  York,  September  20  ;  and  the  General  Con- 
ference of  Minnesota,  October  14.  The  General  Association  of 
New  Hampshire,  August  25,  put  on  record  that  it  had  "  failed 
to  appreciate  the  reasons  for  the  call  of  such  a  convention,  espe- 
cially in  the  present  juncture  of  affairs,  and  respectfully  decline 
further  action  with  reference  to  it ; "  but  the  united  sentiment 
of  the  churches  of  that  State  was  subsequently  found  to  be  in 
hearty  co-operation  with  the  proposal.  The  several  bodies  ap- 
pointed committees  to  represent  them,  with  power  to  unite  in 
calling  the  proposed  convention. 

Upon  the  suggestion  of  such  delegates  as  met  at  New  Haven, 
in  July,  1864,  on  the  occasion  of  the  annual  commencement  of 
Yale  College,  the  Trustees  of  The  American  Congregational 
Union  invited  the  several  committees  to  meet  in  conference 
in  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  Church,  in  the  city  of  New  York ; 
to  which  end,  their  committee  issued  the  following  letter :  — 

New  York,  October  Ist,  1865. 

Dear  Sib  :  —  As  a  Committee  of  the  American  Congregational 
Union,  we  invite  you  to  attend  a  conference  of  the  State  Committees, 
appointed  with  reference  to  a  National  Congregational  Conven- 
tion, to  be  held  at  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  Church,  in  this  city,  on 
Wednesday,  the  16th  day  of  November  next,  at  10  A.  M. 

The  time  and  place  of  holding  the  Convention,  the  basis  of  represen- 
tation in  the  body,  the  subjects  proper  to  be  mentioned  in  the  call  as  a 
guide  to  its  deliberations,  are  topics  that  demand  careful  thought  and 


4  PBEUMINART   PROCEEDINGS. 

mature  counsel.  In  this  view,  the  preliminary  conference  has  been 
appointed  at  a  time  remote  from  any  general  ecclesiastical  preoccupa- 
tion, and  at  a  place  where  ready  communication  can  be  had  with  the 
officers  of  such  benevolent  societies  as  arc  directly  interested  in  the 
Convention  and  its  objects.  In  the  present  condition  of  the  country, 
this  movement  is  so  important  to  the  future  of  Congregationalism 
that  we  earnestly  hope  every  member  of  each  State  committee  will 
come  to  the  conference  in  November,  even  at  great  personal  incon- 
venience. 

We  can  not  doubt  that  the  State  bodies  will  reimburse  the  traveling 
expenses  of  their  representatives,  upon  this  momentous  errand  of  the 
churches;  and,  in  behalf  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  Church,  we  cor- 
dially proffer  you  their  hospitality  during  the  session  of  the  conference. 
Please  send  an  immediate  answer,  that  you  may  be  advised  in  season 
where  you  will  be  entertained. 

Respectfully  yours, 

William  G.  Lambert. 
William  Allex. 
Joseph  P.  Thompson. 
P.  S.  —  Please  address, 

"Wm.  G.  Lambert,  CJiairman^  <f?c, 

81  Worth  Street,  New  Tork.»» 

The  committees,  unanimously  accepting  the  invitation,  met 
at  that  time  and  place. 

THE  COI^FERENCE  OF  COMMITTEES. 

The  various  committees  having  assembled  in  the  Broadway 
Tabernacle  Church,  New  York,  November  16,  1864,  Rev.  Jo- 
seph P.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  of  New  York,  called  the  conference 
to  order,  and  made  statements  regarding  the  origin  of  the 
meeting.  v 

THE  ROLL. 

It  appeared  that  the  following  persons  were  present,  either  as 
members  of  committees,  or  representing  churches  in  States 
where  no  general  organizations  exist :  —  •* 

Maine  —  Rev.  George  E.  Adams,  d.  d.,  Brunswick;  Rev.  Alfred  E. 
Ives,  Castine;  Dea.  Simon  Page,  Hallowell. 

New  Hampshire — Rev.  Nathaniel  Bouton,  d.  d.,  Concord;  Rev. 
Henry  E.  Parker,  Concord;  Rev.  William  T.  Savage,  Franklin. 

Vermont — J.  G.  Stimson,  Esq.,  Waterbury. 

Massachusetts — Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  New  Bedford;  Rev.  Emer- 
son Davis,  D.  D.,  Westfield;  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Lang  worthy,  Chelsea;  Rev. 


PRELIMINARY   PROCEEDINGS.  .  6 

Joshua  W.  Wellman,  Newton;  Rev.  Nathaniel  H.  Eggleston,  Stock- 
bridge. 

Bhode  Island — Rev.  Con8tantineBlodgett,D.  d.,  Pawtucket;  Rev. 
Alexander  H.  Clapp,  Providence. 

Connecticut  —  Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  d.  d.,  New  Haven;  Rev.  Wil- 
liam T.  Eustis,  Jr.,  New  Haven;  Rev.  Joel  Hawes,  D.  D.,  Hartford; 
Rev.  John  P.  Gulliver,  Norwich. 

New  York  —  Rev.  Ray  Palmer,  d.  d.,  Albany;  Rev.  William  I. 
Budington,  D.  D.,  Brooklyn;  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  New  York; 
Rev.  Jeremiah  Butler,  Fairport;  Rev.  L,  Smith  Hobart,  Syracuse.  ^,^ 

New  Jersey  — Rev.  William  B.  Brown,  Newark. 

Ohio  —  Rev.  Israel  W.  Andrews,  d.  d..  Marietta;  Rev.  James  A 
Thome,  Cleveland;  Douglas  Putnam,  Esq.,  Harmar. 

Michigan  —  Rev.  Philo  R.  Hurd,  Romeo;  Rev.  Sereno  W.  Streeter, 
Union  City;  Rev.  James  S.  Hoyt,  Port  Huron. 

Illinois  —  Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  d.  d.,  Jacksonville;  Rev.  Fla- 
vel  Bascom,  Princeton;  Charles  G.  Hammond,  Esq.,  Chicago. 

Wisconsin — Rev.  W.  DeLoss  Love,  Milwaukee;  Dea.  Edward  M. 
Danforth,  Oconomowoc;  George  E.  Sickles,  Esq.,  Waukesha. 

Missouri — J.  B.  Turner,  Esq.,  St.  Louis. 

Minnesota  —  Rev.  William  R.  Stevens,  Rochester. 

Pennsylvania  —  Rev.  Burdett  Hart,  Philadelphia;  Rev.  Edward 
Hawes,  Philadelphia. 

Other  brethren  present  were  afterwards  invited  to  sit  as 
Honorary  Members,  viz. :  — 

Rev.  Milton  Badger,  D.  D.,  New  York;  Rev.  David  B.  Coe,  D.  D., 
New  York;  Rev.  Daniel  P.  Noyes,  New  York;  Rev.  Theron  Baldwin, 
D.  D.,  New  York;  Rev.  Absalom  Peters,  D.  D.  New  York;  Dea.  Wil- 
liam G.  Lambert,  New  York;  William  Allen,  Esq.,  New  York;  Seth 
B.  Hunt,  Esq.,  New  York;  Rev.  William  Clift,  New  York;  Rev.  Henry 
G.  Ludlow,  Oswego,  N.  Y.;  Rev.  Michael  Strieby,  Newark,  N.  J.;  Rev. 
George  Whipple,  Newark,  N.  J.;  Rev.  Increase  N.  Tarbox,  Boston, 
Mass. ;  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  D.  D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

organization. 

Aw/ 
Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  Rev.  L.  Smith  Hobart,  and  Rev. 

^^''^Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  d.  d.,  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
nominate  the  permanent  officers  of  the  conference. 

This  committee  reported  Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  d.  d.,  for  mod- 
erator; Charles  G.  Hammond,  Esq.,  for  assistant  moderator; 
Rev.  PhiloJELfliirdJpr  scribe ;  and  Rev.  Nathaniel  H.  Eggleston 
for  assistant  scribe.  The  report  was  accepted  and  adopted.  The 
conference  was  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  Joel  Hawes,  d.  d. 


6  PRELIMINARY    PROCEEDINGS. 

Rev.  George  E.  Adams,  d.  d.,  Rov.  John  P.  Gulliver,  Rev. 
Flavel  Bascom,  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Thompson,  D.  d.,  and  Rev. 
JuliJEtn  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  D.,  were  appointed  a  business  com- 
mittee. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted :  — 

Besolved^  That  since  this  body  is  composed  of  committees  appointed 
for  free  consultation  in  relation  to  the  matters  referred  to  them,  we 
deem  it  important  that  there  should  be  a  distinct  understanding  that 
their  business  is  of  a  private  nature,  and  that  it  would  be  considered 
wholly  improper  that  any  report  of  its  proceedings  should  be  made  pub- 
lic, except  by  the  direction  of  the  body  itself. 

Rev.  Ray  Palmer,  D.  d..  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  and  Rev. 
Nathaniel  H.  Eggleston,  were  appointed  a  committee  on  Cre- 
dentials and  Invitations.  This  committee  reported  the  follow- 
ing resolutions,  which  were  adopted :  — 

Besolved,  1.  That  this  body  is  understood  to  be  composed  of  the  com- 
mittees regularly  appointed  by  the  General  Associations  and  Confer- 
ences of  the  several  States  and  Territories,  with  such  other  persons  as, 
by  a  liberal  construction,  may  be  regarded  as  representing  the  churches 
in  the  States  or  Territories  from  which  they  came. 
Resolved^  2.  That  the  Secretaries  of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
i    Society,  of  the  American  Missionary  Association,  of  the  Education  So- 
//  ciety,  and  of  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Collegiate  and  Theological 
^*  Education  at  the  West,  be  invited  to  sit  and  deliberate  with  this  confer- 
ence. 

Rov.  Absalom  Peters,  d.  d..  Rev.  William  Clift,  Dea.  William 
G.  Lambert,  and  William  Allen,  Esq.,  being  present,  were  in- 
vited to  sit  as  honorary  members ;  and  the  same  invitation  was 
afterwards  extended  to  Rev.  Henry  6.  Ludlow,  Rev.  Rufus 
Anderson,  d.  d.,  and  Seth  B.  Hunt,  Esq. 

The  Business  Committee  reported  a  docket  of  subjects  pro- 
posed for  the  consideration  of  the  conference. 


THE  HOLDING    OF  A  CONVENTION  —  ITS  BASIS,  CALL,  AND 

BUSINESS. 

The  question.  Shall  there  be  a  National  Congregational  Con- 
vention ?  was  unanimously  answered  in  the  afiirmative. 

Li  regard  to  the  mode  of  constituting  the  convention,  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  adopted :  — 


PRELIMINARY   PROCEEDINGS.  7 

Besolvedy  That  the  convention  be  based  upon  a  representation  of  Con- 
gregational churches,  having  a  recognized  fellowship  in  doctrine  and 
order;  and  that,  a  committee  be  appointed  to  prepare  and  report  the 
terms  of  such  representation. 

Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  Rev,  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  and  Rev. 
Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  d.  d.,  were  appointed  that  committee; 
to  which  Rev.  John  P.  Gulliver  was  afterwards  added.  The 
question  of  the  time  and  place  of  holding  the  convention  was 
also  referred  to  this  committee. 

Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  d.  d.,  Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  d., 
and  Rev.  Alfred  E.  Ives,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  pre- 
pare a  call  for  the  convention. 

The  moderator,  Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  d.  d.,  Rev.  Julian  M. 
Sturtevant,  d.  d..  Rev.  William  I.  Budington,  d.  d..  Rev.  Joseph 
P.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  nominate  suitable  persons  to  present  to  the  Na- 
tional Convention,  when  it  shall  assemble,  the  topics  which  may 
be  suggested  by  this  conference,  for  its  consideration. 

The  conference  adjourned  to  meet  on  Thursday  morning,  at 
9\  o'clock. 

Thursday  Morning. 

The  conference  met,  according  to  adjournment.     The  meet- 
ing was  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  Constantino  Blodgett,  D.  D. 
The  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting  were  read  and  approved. 

TOPICS. 

The  conference  entered  upon  an  inquiry  relative  to  the  topics 
which  it  should  recommend  for  the  consideration  of  the  Na- 
tional Convention ;  and  it  was  voted,  that  the  call  for  the 
convention  suggest  the  following  subjects,  to  wit :  — 

1.  The  work  of  evangelization,  in  the  West  and  South,  and  / 
in  foreign  lauds. 

2.  Church-building. 

3.  Education  for  the  ministry,  —  in  colleges,  theological  sem- 
inaries, or  otherwise ;  and  ministerial  support. 

4.  Local  and  parochial  evangelization. 

5.  The  expediency  of  issuing  a  statement  of  Congregational 
church  polity. 

6.  The  expediency  of   setting  forth  a  declaration  of  the 


8  PRELIMINARY   PROCEEDINGS. 

Christian   faith,  as  held  in  common  by  the   Congregational 
churches. 

7,  The  classification  of  benevolent  organizations  to  be  recom- 
mended to  the  patronage  of  the  churches. 

TERMS   OF  REPRESENTATION. — TIME  AND  PLACE  OF  MEETING. 

The  committee  on  the  terms  of  representation  in  the  conven- 
tion, and  on  the  time  and  place  of  its  meeting,  made  the 
following  report,  which  was  accepted  and  adopted :  — 

Whereas,  the  Congregational  churches  recognize  two,  and  only 
two,  fundamental  principles  of  church  polity,  viz.  (1,)  That  the  local 
church  is  the  only  organized  and  authoritative  ecclesiastical  body  estab- 
lished by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  complete  in  itself  for  all  church  pur- 
poses, and  with  an  authority  which  can  not  be  delegated;  and  (2,)  That 
all  churches  hold  relations  of  fellowship  one  with  another,  under  which 
it  is  one  of  their  duties  and  privileges  to  meet  for  counsel  in  cases  of 
general  moment;  therefore. 

Resolved,  1,  That  the  National  Council  now  proposed  is  wholly  des- 
titute of  any  power  or  authority  whatever  over  individuals,  churches, 
or  other  organizations;  and,  (2,)  That  the  churches  are  to  meet  in  the 
proposed  council,  to  consider  the  present  exigencies  and  opportunities 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

Resolved,  2,  That  the  National  Council  of  Congregational  Churches, 
now  to  be  called,  be  selected  by  the  churches,  assembled,  for  conven- 
ience as  to  numbers,  in  local  conferences;  and  be  made  up  of  pastors 
and  delegates  of  churches,  according  to  the  following  ratio  of  represen- 
tation: that  the  churches  represented  in  each  district,  conference,  or 
association  of  churches,  select  in  conference  one  pastor  and  one  dele- 
gate, or  two  delegates,  for  each  ten  churches,  and  for  any  remaining 
fraction  greater  than  one-half  of  that  number;  each  conference  or 
association  of  churches  being  allowed  at  least  one  pastor  and  one  del- 
egate. 

Resolved,  3,  That  in  localities  where  no  such  bodies  exist,  represent- 
ing churches,  the  committees  constituting  this  conference  be  requested 
to  secure  a  representation  of  the  churches  within  such  districts,  on  the 
above  basis. 

Resolved,  4,  That  the  committee  Arom  each  State  be  authorized  and 
requested  to  issue,  at  an  early  time,  prior  to  the  meeting  of  conferences, 
circular  letters,  embodying  the  call  for  the  council,  and  pointing  out  in 
what  manner  the  delegiktes  are  to  be  selected  in  each  State  or  Territory, 
in  accordance  with  the  above  basis  of  representation,  to  be  forwarded 
to  each  church  for  action,  as  well  as  to  the  several  conferences;  and 
that  they  use  their  best  endeavors  to  secure  a  complete  representation. 

Resolved,  5,  That  the  Council  meet  in  the  city  of  Boston,  Mass.,  or  in 
such  other  place  as  the  committee  of  arrangements  may  designate,  on 
the  second  Wednesday  of  June,  1865. 


PRELIMINARY  PROCEEI^INOS.  9 

The  following  resolutions  were  adopted  :  — 

SFECIAIi  SERVICE  FOR  DEVOTION. 

BesoJved^  That  it  be  recommended  to  the  National  Council  of  Con- 
gregational churches,  when  assembled,  to  appoint,  early  in  its  session, 
a  special  service  of  devotion,  for  the  acknowledgment  of  the  marvel- 
ous and  merciful  dealings  of  Almighty  Grod  with  the  nation,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  war,  and  for  supplicating  a  gracious  dispensation  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  upon  the  land,  that  our  restored  national  unity  may  be 
consecrated  in  righteousness,  and  in  the  peace  and  joy  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

COLLECTION  FOR  EXPENSES. 

Besolved,  That  we  recommend  to  all  our  churches  to  take  up  a  col- 
lection, on  or  near  the  second  Sabbath  in  May,  before  the  meeting  of 
the  proposed  Council,  to  assist  in  paying  the  traveling  expenses  of 
ministers  coming  from  a  considerable  distance  who  may  need  such  aid, 
and  also  to  defray  the  incidental  expenses  of  the  Council  itself;  the 
avails  of  these  collections  to  be  distributed  by  a  committee  of  the 
proposed  Council;  and  any  surplus  that  may  remain,  to  be  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  Congregational  Union,  in  aid  of  church-building. 

COMMITTEES  ON  TOPICS. 

The  following  persons  were  appointed  committees  to  present 
to  the  Council  the  subjects  suggested  for  its  consideration :  — 

On  Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South. 

Warren  Currier,  Esq.,  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant, 
D.  D.,  Jacksonville,  BL ;  Rev.  Reuben  Gaylord,  Omaha,  Neb.  Ter. ;  Rev. 
Thomas  E.  Bliss,  Memphis,  Tenn.;    Rev.  Flavel  Bascom,  Princeton, 

DL 

Parochial  Evangelization. 

Rev.  Daniel  P.  Noyes,  New  York;  Rev.  Henry  M.  Dexter,  Boston, 
Mass. 

Education  for  the  Ministry. 

Rev.  Ray  Palmer,  d.  d.,  Albany,  New  York;  Rev.  John  P.  Gul- 
liver, Norwich,  Conn.;  Rev.  Franklin  W.  Fisk,  Chicago,  HI. 

Ministerial  Support. 

Rev.  George  Shepard,  d.  d.,  Bangor,  Me.;  Charles  G.  Hammond, 
Esq.,  Chicago,  HI.;  Gov.  William  A.  Buckingham,  Norwich,  Conn.; 
Samuel  Holmes,  Esq.,  New  York;  Douglas  Putnam,  Esq.,  Marietta, 
Ohio. 

Statement  of  Church  Polity. 

Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  n.  n.,  New  Haven,  Conn.;   Rev.  Alonzo  H, 


10  PBELIHINARY  FROCEEDING&L 

Quint,  New  Bedford,  Mass.;  Kev.  Henry  M.  Storrs,  d.  d.,  Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 

DeclaraUan  of  Christian  Faith, 

Rev.  Joseph  P.  Thompson,  d.  d.,  New  York;  Rev.  George  P. 
Fisher,  Yale  College;  Rev.  Edward  A.  Lawrence,  East  Windsor  Hill, 
Conn. 

'   Systematizing  Benevolent  Contributions, 

Rev.  Israel  W.  Andrews,  d.  d..  Marietta,  Ohio;  Rev.  Ray  Palmer, 
D.  D.,  Albany,  N.  Y.;  Rev.  Henry  E.  Parker,  Concord,  N.  H.;  William 
G.  Lambert,  Esq.,  New  York. 

The  following  persons  were  appointed  a  Committee  of  Ar- 
rangements for  the  meeting  of  the  Council :  — 

Rev.  Andrew  L.  Stone,  n.  d.,  Boston;  Rev.  Edward  N.  Kirk,  D.  D., 
Boston;  Rev.  George  W.  Blagden,  n.  D.,  Boston;  Rev.  Henry  M. 
Dexter,  Boston;  Rev.  Elihu  P.  Marvin,  Medford;  Rev.  Rufiis  Ander- 
son, D.  D.,  Roxbury;  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  Chelsea;  Rev.  Joshua 
W.  Wellman,  Newton;  Charles  Stoddard,  Esq.,  Boston;  Julius  A. 
Palmer,  Esq.,  Boston;  Edward-  S.  Tobey,  Esq.,  Boston;  J.  Russell 
Bradford,  Esq.,  Roxbury;  Henry  Hill,  Esq.,  Saxonville. 

PUBLICATION  OF  THE  CALL. 

Rev.  Daniel  P.  Noyes,  Samuel  Holmes,  Esq.,  A.  S.  Barnes, 
Esq.,  and  William  Allen,  Esq.,  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
print  the  call,  and  to  supply  the  State  committees  with  copies 
for  distribution,  and  to  secure  a  representation  of  the  churches 
in  those  States  and  Territories  which  are  not  represented  by 
committees  in  this  body. 

BEPORT  ON  THE  CALL. 

The  committee  on  the  call  for  the  Council  made  a  report, 
which  was  accepted  and  adopted  for  substance,  and  was  recom- 
mitted for  completion. 

PBEACHER. 

Rev.  Joseph  P.  Thompson,  d.  d..  Rev.  John  P.  Gulliver, 
Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  and  Rev.  Flavel  Bascom,  were  appoint- 
ed a  committee  to  nominate  a  preacher  to  open  the  Coiuicil 
with  a  sermon.  The  committee  reported  the  name  of  Rev. 
Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  D.,  of  Jacksonville,  HI.,  as  principal, 
and  Rev.  Truman  M.  Post,  D.  D.,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  as  alter- 
nate.   The  report  was  accepted  and  adopted. 


PBELIMINAKT  PROCSEDDIGS.  U 


PUBLICATION  OF  DOINGS. 

The  following  resolution  was  passed :  — 

Besolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  conference  be  published  in 
snch  newspapers  as  may  desire  to  publish  them,  and  in  the  Congrega- 
tional Quarterly;  and  that  the  publishers  of  the  Quarterly  be  requested 
to  print  one  thousand  copies  extra  for  the  use  of  the  Council.  Also, 
that  all  the  restrictions  heretofore  imposed  upon  the  publication  of  the 
proceedings  of  this  conference  be  removed. 

TBEASURER. 

Henry  Hill,  Esq.,  of  Saxonville,  Mass.,  was  appointed  the 
treasurer  of  the  contingent  fan(J  to  be  raised  for  the  expenses 
of  the  delegates  and  of  the  Council. 

THANKS. 

The  following  resolution  of  thanks  was  unanimously  adopt- 
ed: — 

BesoJved^  That  the  heartfelt  thanks  of  this  conference  are  tendered  to 
Rev.  Joseph  P.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  William  G.  Lambert,  Esq.,  and  Wil- 
liam Allen,  Esq.,  and  to  the  members  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle 
Society,  for  their  wise  arrangements  and  generous  and  ample  pro- 
Tision  for  the  acconmiodation  and  comfort  of  this  body  during  its 
deliberations. 

ADJOURNMENT. 

The  conference  adjourned.  Concluded  with  prayer  by  Rev, 
Ray  Palmer,  d.  d.,  and  the  benediction  by  the  moderator. 

Leonard  Bacon,  Moderator. 

Chas.  G.  Hammond,  Assist.  Moderator.  ''^* 
Philo  R.  Hurd,  Scribe.  '■■    . 
Nath'l  H.  Eggleston,  Assistant  Scribe. 


LETTERS  OF  INTITATION. 

The  committee  intrusted  with  that  duty  prepared  the  fol- 
lowing invitation,  which,  after  being  submitted  to  and  ap- 
proved by  all  the  members  of  the  preliminary  conference,  was 
sent  to  the  churches  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  several 
State  committees,  who  placed  a  sufficient  number  of  copies  in 
the  hands  of  the  scribes  of  the  several  local  conferences  (pr 


12  PRELIMINARY   PROCEEDINGS. 

other  parties  where  no  conferences    exist),  to    reach    each 
church :  — 

INYITATION. 

Those  Congregational  churches  in  the  United  States  of  America 
which  are  in  recognized  fellowship  and  co-operation  through  the  Gen- 
eral associations,  conferences,  or  conventions  in  the  several  States,  are 
hereby  respectfully  and  affectionately  invited  to  meet  by  their  repre- 
sentatives in  a  National  Council  at  Boston,  Massachusetts,  on  the  four- 
teenth day  of  June,  A.  D.  1865,  at  3  o'clock,  p.  M.,  in  the  Old  South 
Meeting-House. 
t^t  This  invitation  is  the  result  of  a  request  proceeding  from  a  represen- 
'  tative  convention  of  Congregational  churches  in  the  North-west.  It 
has  been  considered  and  approved  in  a  meeting  of  committees  repre- 
senting the  Congregational  churches  and  ministry  associated  for  fel- 
lowship and  co-operation  m  the  several  States;  and  on  us  whose  names 
are  undersigned,  has  been  devolved  the  duty  of  convening  the  Council, 
of  defining  the  mode  in  which  the  churches  may  be  conveniently  and 
equally  represented,  and  of  proposing  to  the  churches,  and  through 
them  to  their  assembled  delegates,  the  subjects  which  require  at  this 
time  the  deliberate  attention  and  advice  of  such  an  assembly. 

Inasmuch  as  the  Congregational  churches  acknowledge  and  hold  that 
the  local  church  is  the  only  ecclesiastical  body  established  by  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  —  a  body  complete  in  itself,  and  invested  with  an  author- 
ity under  Christ  which  can  not  be  delegated ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  that 
the  churches  thus  constituted  are  in  relations  of  fellowship  one  with/ 
another,  under  which  it  is  their  duty  and  their  privilege  to  meet  for 
mutual  counsel  in  cases  of  general  interest  and  common  responsibility; 
it  will  be  universally  unde!;etood  that  the  National  Council  now  pro- 
posed is  destitute  of  ^1  power  or  authority  over  individuals  or  church- 
es, or  over  other  organizations,  and  that  the  churches  complying  with 
this  invitation  will  meet  by  their  pastors  and  other  messengers  only  for 
the  purpose  of  considering  the  present  crisis  in  the  history  of  our  coun- 
try and  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  the  responsibilities  which  the 
crisis  imposes  upon  us  who  have  inherited  the  polity  and  the  faith  of 
our  Pilgrim  Fathers. 

As  it  is  impossible  for  every  church  to  be  directly  represented  in  any 
national  assembly,  we  propose  that  neighboring  churches,  within  such 
districts  as  may  be  found  convenient,  meet  by  their  pastors  and  dele- 
gates in  particular  coimcils  or  conferences  for  the  puri)ose  of  designat- 
ing the  elders  and  brethren  who  shall  assemble  in  the  National  Council; 
and  that  the  ratio  of  representation  be  two  delegates  (one  of  them  a 
pastor  if  convenient)  for  every  ten  churches,  and  for  every  remaining 
fraction  greater  than  half  that  number. 

We  propose  that  where  county  or  district  conferences  or  other  like 
associations  of  churches  have  been  instituted,  the  churches  of  each 
conference  or  association  meet  according  to  their  usual  method,  and 
elect  their  delegates  in  the  ratio  above  mentioned, — it  being  under- 


FRELIMINABY   PROCEEDINGS.  13 

Blood  that  the  churches  of  every  such  conference,  though  less  than 
ten  in  number,  may  be  represented  by  a  pastor  and  another  delegate^ 

"We  propose  that  where  the  churches  are  not  accustomed  to  meet 
statedly  in  organized  conferences,  they  be  invited  to  meet  in  special 
councils  fbr  this  purpose. 

The  subjects  on  which  it  seems  to  us  desirable  that  a  National  Coun- 
cil of  our  churches  should  deliberate  and  advise  at  the  present  crisis 
are  these:  — 

First,  The  work  of  home  evangelization  devolving  on  our  churches, 
— a  work  including  all  the  efforts  which  they  are  making,  or  ought  to 
make,  for  the  complete  Christianization  of  our  coimtry;  particularly  by 
planting  churches  and  other  institutions  of  Christian  civilization  at  the  ^  \^^ 
West  and  at  the  South;  by  co-operating  in  labors  for  the  instruction 
and  elfevatioh  of  the  millions  whose  yoke  of  bondage  God  has  broken ; 
by  helping  to  build  houses  of  worship  in  destitute  places;  by 
encouraging  and  guiding  each  other  in  parochial  plans  and  labors  for 
Christ;  and  by  providing  the  wisest  and  most  efficient  methods  for 
the  supply  and  support  of  an  able,  learned,  and  godly  ministry. 

Secondly,  The  setting-forth  of  a  simple  declaration  or  testimony  con- 
cerning the  evangelical  faith  and  the  ecclesiastical  polity,  which  are  the 
actual  basis  of  mutual  confidence  and  helpfulness,  and  of  co-operation, 
among  the  Congregational  churches  of  the  United  States.  The  expe- 
diency and  desirableness  of  such  a  declaration  —  how  far  it  may  tend  to 
make  the  continued  orthodoxy  of  our  churches,  and  the  apostolic 
simplicity  and  efficiency  of  their  polity,  more  widely  and  clearly  under- 
stood among  Christians  not  in  our  connection,  and  how  far  it  may  tend 
to  a  more  complete  harmony  and  co-operation  among  ourselves,  as  well 
as  to  a  more  just  conception  of  our  system  in  its  capability  of  expansion 
and  01  progress  —  will  be  the  more  wisely  considered  by  the  Council,  if, 
in  the  meantime,  the  matter  shall  have  been  duly  considered  by  the 
churches. 

Thirdly,  The  responsibilities  of  these  churches  in  relation  to  spread- 
ing the  gospel  through  the  world.  It  can  not  be  forgotten  that  the 
work  of  missions  from  the  United  States  to  the  heathen  in  foreign 
lands,  was  first  undertaken  by  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions,  originating  in  the  General  Association  of  Massa- 
chusetts, appealing  to  the  Congregational  churches  for  their  contribu- 
tions, and  serving  them  as  their  agent  and  almoner.  Nor  should  we 
cease  to  praise  God  that  the  same  institution,  now  venerable  with  the 
years  of  more  than  half  a  century,  and  iUustrious  with  the  success 
which  it  has  gained  by  the  favor  of  God's  providence  and  the  outpour- 
ings of  his  Spirit,  is  still  the  medium  of  a  visible  and  most  fraternal 
co-operation  not  only  among  our  churches,  but  also  between  us  and 
those  Presbyterian  churches  which  are  most  nearly  related  to  our  own 
in  their  ecclesiastical  traditions  and  their  evangelical  sympathies;  and 
that,  even  in  these  times  of  national  conflict,  it  has  been  enabled  to 
carry  on  its  work  without  interruption  or  curtailment,  and  has  been 
gaining  a  stronger  hold  on  the  confidence  of  those  who  pray  continually 


14  FBELOilNART  PROCEEDINGS. 

"  Thy  kiDgdom  come."  But  if  we  believe  that  in  the  new  era  which  the 
termination  of  the  present  conflict  must  inaugurate,  our  country,  re- 
lieved of  the  shame  that  has  impaired  its  influence  and  the  burthens 
that  have  impeded  its  progress,  is  to  stand  in  new  relations  to  the 
world,  we  can  not  but  recognize  the  crisis  as  summoning  our  churches 
to  inquire,  devoutly,  and  with  careful  and  extended  consultation,  as 
well  as  with  mutual  incitements  to  love  and  zeal,  what  God  would 
have  them  do,  henceforward,  in  the  work  of  preaching  to  all  nations  the 
gospel  of  his  kingdom. 

While  we  commend  these  subjects  to  the  attention  of  the  churches 
and  of  the  Coimcil  which  we  invite  them  to  constitute,  we  may  also 
commend  to  the  Council,  when  assembled,  the  fitness  of  appointing 
early  in  its  sessions,  a  special  service  of  praise  and  prayer,  for  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  marvelous  and  the  merciful  dealings  of  God 
with  the  nation  in  connection  with  the  war,  and  for  supplicating  a  gra- 
cious dispensation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  land,  that  our  restored 
national  unity  may  be  consecrated  in  righteousness,  and  in  the  peace 
and  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  communicating  to  the  churches  this  proposal  for  a  National 
Council,  we  may  be  permitted  to  express  our  hope  that  they  will  seri- 
ously consider  the  occasion  on  which  it  is  addressed  to  them,  and  the 
subjects  on  which  the  Council  is  invited  to  deliberate  and  advise.  We 
ask  that  the  proposal  may  be  in  the  churches,  as  it  has  been  in  our 
consultations,  a  subject  of  humble  and  earnest  prayer;  and  especially 
that  on  the  second  Lord's  day  in  the  month  of  May  next,  there  may  be 
united  supplication  throughout  our  country,  and  among  our  missiona- 
ries also  in  foreign  lands,  beseeching  the  God  of  all  grace  to  pour  out 
his  Holy  Spirit  on  the  Council  then  so  soon  to  meet,  so  that  the  result 
may  be  a  great  reviving  and  advancement  of  his  work. 

It  is  also  requested  that  on  or  near  the  day  just  mentioned,  May  14, 
contributions  be  received  in  the  churches  generally  to  a  contingent 
fund  for  the  incidental  expenses  of  the  Council,  and  for  relfeving  the 
traveling  expenses  of  ministers  who  may  attend  as  delegates  from 
distant  parts  of  the  country,  —  it  being  imderstood  that  the  fund  thus 
created  shall  be  distributed  by  a  committee  of  the  Council  itself,  and 
that  any  remainder  shall  be  entrusted  to  the  Congregational  Union,  in 
aid  of  the  church-building  charity  conducted  by  that  Society.  Henry 
Hill  Esq.,  has  consented  to  serve  as  treasurer  of  the  contingent 
fund;  and  it  is  important  that  contributions,  when  made,  be  promptly 
remitted  to  him  at  No.  28  Cornhill,  Boston,  Mass. 

We  have  only  to  add  that  we  have  made  arrangements  to  lay  before 
the  Council,  when  assembled,  such  statements  of  facts,  and  such  sug- 
gestions, concerning  the  matters  referred  to  it,  as  shall  afibrd  material 
for  intelligent  deliberation,  and  facilitate  the  dispatch  of  business. 

This  invitation  was  agreed  upon  in  a  consultation  of  committees  at 
the  Chapel  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  on 


MEUMINARY  PBOCSBDIKQS. 


16 


the  seventeenth  day  of  November,  A.  D.  18G4.   In  testimony  whereof 
we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our  names. 

Georob  E.  ADAUB.Bruntwick, 
Alfred  £.  IvEt,  Vaitine^ 
Simon  Page,  HalknctU^ 
Samuel  Harris,  Bangor^ 
Woodbury  Davis,  Pordandy 

Nathaniel  Bouton,  Concord^ 
Henry  Parker,  " 

William  T.  Savage,  Franmn, 

J.  G.  Stihbon,  Waterbury, 
Silas  Aiken,  Rutland^ 
Jonathan  Clement,  Wbodstoek, 

Alonzo  H.  Quint,  New  Bedford, 
Emerson  Davis,  iVetfJield^ 
Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  CheUea, 
Joshua  W.  Wellman,  Newton, 
Nath'l  H.  Eooleston,  SU>ckbridgt, 

Constantine  Blodgett,  Pawtuckety  j  Committee  of  the  Congre^tional  Confer- 

A.  Huntington  Clapp,  Providence^  J  ence  of  Rhode  Island. 

Leonard  Bacon,  New  Haven^ 

William  T.  Eustis.  Jr.,  New  Haven.  I  ri  ->.    •*•       /•  au    n  i   a        -a.       # 

Joel  H  awes,  Bart/ord,  \  Committee  of  the  General  Assocmtion  of 


Committee  of  the  Genersl  Conference  of 
Maine. 


}  Committee  of  Hopkinton  Association, 
New  Hampshire. 

(Committee  of  General  Association  of 
Vermont. 


Committee  of  the  Greneral  Association  of 

BiASSAOHUSETTt. 


John  P.  Gulliver,  Norwich, 
Joseph  Eldridge,  Norfolk, 

Rat  Palmer,  Albany, 
William  I.  Budington,  Brooklyn, 
Joseph  P.  Thompson,  New  York, 
Jerkmiah  Butler,  Fairport, 
L.  Smith  Hobart,  Syracuse, 

William  B.  Brown,  Newark, 

Israel  W.  Andrews,  Marietta, 
James  A.  Thome,  Cleveland, 
Douglas  Putnam,  Harmar, 
Henry  M.  Storrs,  Cincinnati, 

PiiiLO  R.  Kurd,  Romeo, 

Sereno  W.  Strerter,  Union  City, 

James  S.  Hoyt,  Port  Huron, 


Connecticut. 


Committee  of  the  General  Association  of 
New  York. 


New  Jersey. 

Committee  of  the  (General  Conference  of 

Ohio. 


(Committee  of  the  General  Association  of 
Michigan. 

Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  Jacksonville,  In         -a*       r  *u    n         i   a        •  *.-        ^ 
Fla  VEL  Bascom,  Princeton,  '  I  Committee  of  the  General  AssociaUon  of 

Charles  G.  Hammond,  aicago,       )       •  Illinois. 

Wm.  DeLoss  Love,  Milwaukee.  \  ^         •**       r*u    r»  in  *•        r 

Edward  M.  Danforth,  OconorlumnH:,  i  Committee  of  the  General  Convention  of 
George  E.  Sickles,  Waukesha,        )  Wisconsin. 

Missouri. 


J.  B.  Turner,  St.  Louis, 
Wm.  R.  Stevens,  Rochester, 

Burdett  Hart,  Philadelphia, 
Edward  Hawks,         " 

Asa  Turner,  Denmark, 
Jesse  Guernsey.  Dubuque, 
OzRO  French,  Blairstown, 


)  Committee  of  the  Greneral  Association  of 
3  Minnesota. 

I  Pennsylvania. 

{Committee  of  the  General  Association  of 
Iowa. 


In  addition  to  the  above,  the  following  paper  was  signed  by 
the  several  State  committees,  and  forwarded  to  the  several 
churches  with  the  mvitation  :  — 

To  the  Church  in 

Brethren, 

We  transmit  to  you,  for  your  consideration  and  action,  a  copy 
of  the  invitation  which  has  been  issued  for  a  National  Council  of  Ck>n- 


16  PSEUMINAJtT  PROCEEDINGS. 

gregational  Churches  to  be  convened  at  Boston,  on  the  14th  day  of  June 
next. 

If  you  approve  the  proposal,  and  desire  to  be  represented  in  the  Coun- 
cil at  Boston,  you  are  hereby  invited  to  be  present  by  your  delegates  in 
a  conference  of  churches  which  will  be  held  at  on  the  day 

of  at  o'clock,  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  in  the  choice  of  Mes- 
sengers to  the  National  Council  aforesaid. 

The  other  churches  invited  to  this  conference  are:  — 

Should  it  be  impracticable  for  a  delegation  from  you  to  be  present,  we 
earnestly  hope  that  you  will  certify  by  letter  your  desire  to  be  repre- 
sented according  to  the  method  proposed  in  the  accompanying  invita- 
tion, and  will  authorize  the  conference  to  act  in  your  behalf. 

Your  brethren  in  the  Lord, 

[•  Committee. 

P.  S.  — ^We  enclose  with  this  letter,  for  your  convenience,  a  form  of  a 
certificate  accrediting  your  delegates  to  the  conference. 

The  form  of  certificate  just  alluded  to  was  as  follows :  — 

This  Certifies  that  the  Church  in  desiring 

to  be  represented  in  the  National  Council  of  Congregational 
Churches  which  is  invited  to  assemble  at  Boston,  in  Massachusetts,  on 
the  14th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1865,  has  appointed  and  its 

representatives  to  a  conference  of  churches  to  be  held  at  on  the 

of        for  the  choice  of  messengers  to  the  National  Council  afore- 
said. 

Should  the  brethren  above  named  /be  unable  to  attend,  the  delegates 
present  in  conference  from  other  churches  are  hereby  authorized  to  act 
for  this  church. 

In  behalf  of  the  church. 

Dated  at  1865. 

Still  ftirther  to  secure  uniformity  and  promote  convenience, 
the  following  form  of  credentials  to  the  Council  was  prepared 
and  distributed,  to  be  signed  and  returned  by  the  several  scribes 
of  conferences :  — 

This  certifies  that  at  a  conference  of  churches  held  at 
on  the        of  A.  d.  1865,  in  which  the  following  churches,  to  wit:  — 

were  represented  by  delegates  elected  to  act  as  their  representatives  (or 
by  letters  authorizing  the  conference  to  act  for  them)  in  the  choice 
of  messengers  to  the  National  Council  of  Congregational 
Churches  which  is  to  meet  in  Boston,  in  Massachusetts^ on  the  14th  day 


PRELIiaNART  PROCEEDINGS.  17 

of  June  next,  the  following  brethren  were  chosen  to  be  the  messengers 
of  the  churches  aforenamed  in  said  National  Council,  to  wit:  — 

By  vote  of  the  Churches  in  Conference, 

Scribe, 


KESPONSE  FROM  BOSTON. 

• 

The  proposal  to  hold  the  session  of  the  Council  in  Boston  re- 
ceived a  welcome  answer  from  the  churches  in  that  city,  and 
the  following  expression  of  their  feelings  was  widely  circu- 
lated :  — 

Boston,  Jan.  16,  I860. 

The  Committee  of  Arrangements,  appointed  by  the  conference  of 
State  Committees  held  in  New  York  in  November*  last,  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  the  Council  of  the  Congregational  Churches  of  the 
United  States,  which  it  appointed  to  meet  in  Boston  on  the  14th  of  June 
next,  have  corresponded  with  the  Congregational  churches  in  Boston 
in  regard  to  holding  the  Council  in  this  city.  They  have  received  a 
cordial  response  from  them  all,  and  have  adopted  the  following  minute 
of  welcome  to  the  National  Council:  — 

"  We  regard  the  proposed  Synod  or  General  Council  as  an  indispens- 
able means  of  meeting  our  present  responsibilities  as  a  branch  of  the 
Church  of  Christ.  The  reasons  for  calling  such  an  assembly  appear  to 
be  weighty  and  urgent.  To  us,  indeed,  the  call  appears  to  have  come 
from  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation,  who  is  summoning  his  churches  to 
prepare  for  new  services  and  new  sacrifices. 

"  Averse  to  centralized  power  as  is  the  genius  of  Christianity,  yet  it 
equally  favors  all  that  is  expressive  of  the  unity  of  faith  and  purpose  in 
the  Christian  brotherhood.  And  when  our  Lord  calls  us  to  new  forms 
of  action,  new  enterprises,  new  expressions  and  applications  of  our  dis- 
tinctive prihciples,  it  is  most  becoming  in  us  to  convene  our  best  and 
ablest  men,  both  ministers  and  lay  brethren,  to  confer  on  matters  of 
common  interest. 

"In  view  of  these  considerations,  this  committee,  representing  the 
churches  of  this  city,  and  in  their  behalf,  invite  the  General  Council  to 
hold  its  sessions  in  Boston ;  cordially  offering  to  it  the  use  of  our  church 
edifices,  and  extending  to  its  members  the  offer  of  our  Christian  hospi- 
talities so  long  as  the  Council  shall  continue  its  sessions. 

"  We  respectfully  express  our  desire  that  the  opening  services  may 
be  held  in  the  Old  South  Church,  on  accoimt  of  its  association  with  the 
sacred  memory  of  the  elders  who  '  by  faith  obtained  a  good  report' 

"  And  may  the  Lord  bestow  upon  each  member  of  the  council  a  full 
measure  of  his  Spirit,  that  the  body  may  be  full  of  light,  having  discern- 
ment of  the  Master's  wiU,  simplicity  of  faith,  largeness  of  heart,  a  full 
sense  of  responsibility  in  these  peculiar  times,  wisdom  in  deliberation, 

2 


18  FBELIMINABY   PROCEEDINGS. 

and  decision  and  power  in  uttering  words  of  counsel  and  appeal  to 
quicken  and  guide  the  churches. 

"  May  this  assembling  of  the  representatives  of  the  entire  body  of 
Congregationalists  in  our  country  be  attended  with  the  richest  spiritual 
blessings  to  all  our  churches  and  to  the  country.  We  rejoice  in  the 
prospect  of  meeting  our  brethren,  and  the  master  in  the  midst  of  them." 

AiTOKEW  L.  Stone,  Joshua  W.  Wellman, 

Edward  N.  Kirk,  Charles  Stoddard, 

Geo.  W  Blaqden,  Julius  A.  Palmer, 

Henry  M.  Dexter,  Edward  S.  Tobet, 

Elihu  p.  Martin,  J.  Kussell  Bradford, 

Burus  Anderson,  Henry  Hill, 

Isaac  P.  Langworthy. 


DEBATES  AND  PROCEEDINGS 


OF 


THE    NATIONAL    COUNCIL 


OF 


CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCHES. 


AT  BOSTON,  JUNE,  A.  D.  1865. 


FIRST  DAY,  WEDNESDAY,  JUNE  14,  3  P.  M. 

The  National  Congregational  Council,  convoked  by  dele- 
gation from  the  Congregational  churches  of  the  United  States, 
in  response  to  letters-missive  agreed  upon  in  a  consultation  of 
committees  at  the  chapel  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle,  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  November,  a.  d. 
1864,  assembled  in  the  Old  South  Meeting-house,  in  the  city  of 
Boston,  Mass.,  on  Wednesday,  14th  Jime,  1865,  at  3  o'clock,  p.  M. 

The  Council  consisted  of  delegates  from  the  churches  (with 
their  respective  places  of  residence),  as  follows :  — 


CALirORHIA. 


A 


Jacob  Bacon,  San  Franciso). 

Ber.  Milton   Badger,  d.  d.  [of  N.  Y., 

representing  Cal.] 
Lather  P.  Fisher,  Oakland. 
Ber.  Kinsley  Twining,  San  Francisco. 

COLOBADO  TKRBrrOBT. 

Ber.  William  Crawford,  Central  City. 
Samuel  Cnshman,  Jr.,  Black  Hawk. 


COITKECTICUT. 


<^ 


Dea.  Charles  Adams,  LitchlSeld. 
Rer.  Walter  S.  Alexander,  Pomfret. 
Ber.  Hiram  P.  Arms,  D.  D.,  Norwich 

Town. 
Albert  Austin,  Suffield. 
Ber.  Frederick  D.  Aveiy,  Columbia. 
Bev.  Leonard  Bacon,  d.  d..  New  Haven. 


Hon.  Walter  Booth,  Meriden. 

Hon.  John  Boyd,  Winsted. 

Gov.    William    A.   Buckingham,    Nor- 
wich. 

Rev.  Davis  S.  Brainerd,  Old  Lyme. 

Rev.  Enoch  F.  Burr,  Lyme. 

Dea.  Philander  Button,  Greenwich. 

Rev.  Louis  £.  Charpiot,  Stratford. 

Rev.  Amos  S.  Chesebrough,  Glastenbmy. 

Rev.  Malcolm  M.  G.  Dana,  Norwich. 

Bev.  Oliver  S.  Dean,  Roxbury. 

Rev.  Andrew  C.  Denison,  Portland. 

Hon.  Benjamin  Douglas,  Middletown. 

Rev.  Samuel  W.  S.  Dutton,  d.  d.,  New 
Haven. 

Rev.  John  Edgar,  Falls  Village. 

Rev.  Joseph  Eldridge,  d.  d.,  Norfolk. 

Rev.  William  T.  Eustis,  Jr.,  New  Haven. 

Rev.  Thomas  P.  Field,  d.  d.,  New  Lon- 
don. 

Rev.  Edwin  R.  Gilbert,  Wallingford. 

Rev.  Leverett  Griggs,  Bristol. 
(19) 


20 


MKMBBKJi* 


Rev.  John  P.  Gulliver,  Norwich. 

Hon.  Henry  P.  Haven,  New  London. 

Dea.  Willis  Hemingway,  Jr.,  Fair  Haven. 

Rev.  Jonathan  L.  Jenkins,  Hartford. 

Henry  M.  Knight,  m.  d.,  Salisbury. 

Rev.  Orpheus  T.  Lanpliear,  New  Haven. 

Prof.  Edward  A.  Lawrence,  d.  d.,  East 
Windsor  Hill. 

Rev.  Robert  C.  Learned,  Plyraoath. 

Rev.  Joel  IL  Linsley,  d.  d.,  Greenwich. 

Hon.  Samuel  Miller,  New  Haven. 

Rev.  David  Murdoch,  New  Milford. 

Rev.  George  B.  Newcomb,  Bloomfield. 

Rev.  George  A.  Oviatt,  Somers. 

Rev.  Levi  L.  Paine,  Farmington. 

Prof.  Noah  Porter,  Jr.,  d.  d..  New  Ha- 
ven. 

Dea.  Selden  M.  Pratt,  Center  Brook. 

£.  Beecher  Preston,  Rockville. 

Daniel  0.  Robinson,  Esq.,  Brooklyn. 

Dea.  George  W.  Shelton,  Birmingham. 

Ralph  D.  Smith,  Guilford. 

Rev.  George  Soule,  Hampton. 

Dea.  John  Stevens,  Cromwell. 

Hon.  Henry  G.  Taintor,  Hampton. 

Dea.  Chester  Talcott,  North  Coventry. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Taylor,  d.  d.,  Middle- 
town. 

Dudley  R.  Wheeler,  North  Stonington. 

Rev.  Elisha  Whittlesey,  Waterbury. 

Rev.  Samuel  G.  Willard,  Willimantic 

Rev.  Francis  Williams,  Chaplin. 

Dea.  John  B.  Woodford,  Windsor. 

DXLAWABE.      < 

I 
\ 

Dea.  Abner  H.  Bryant,  Canterboiy.' 

ILLINOIS.    V 

Marshall  Ayres,  Griggsville. 

Prof. Samuel  C.  Bartlett,  d.  d.,  Chicago. 

Rev.  Flavel  Bascom,  Princeton. 

Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  d.  d.,  Galesburg. 

Rev.  Frederick  W.  Beecher,  Kankakee. 

Dea.  Philo  Carpenter,  Chicago. 

Rev.  William  Carter,  Pittsfield. 

Rev.  N.  Catlin  Clark,  Elgin. 

Rev.  Henry  M.  Daniels,  Winnebago. 

Rev.  Andrew  J.  Drake,  Atlanta. 

Rev.  Richard  C.  Dunn,  Toulon. 

Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins  Emery,  Quincy. 

Rev.  Henry  M.  Groodwin,  Rockford. 

Hon.  Charles  G.  Hammond,  Chicago. 


Prof.  Joseph  Haven,  d.  d.,  Chicago. 

Levi  T.  Hewins,  m.  d.,  Loda. 

Rev,  George  B.  Hubbard,  Aurora. 

Rev.  Elisha  Jenney,  Galesburg. 

Rev.  Bdwin  N.  Lewis,  Ottawa. 

Dea.  Nelson  Mason,  Sterling. 

Rev.  Milo  N.  Miles,  Geneseo. 

Rev.  LuduB H.Parker,  Galesburg. 

Rev.  George  C.  Partridge,  Batavia. 

Rev.  William  W.  Patton,  d.  d.,  Chicago. 

Dea.  Moses  Pettengill,  Peoria. 

Rev.  Lemuel  Pomeroy,  Wethersfield. 

Rev.  Samuel  F.  Porter,  Wheaton. 

Rev.  Oeorge  S.  F.  Savage,  Chicago. 

Joel  K.  Scarboro,  Payson. 

Dea.  Brainerd  Smith,  Normal. 

S.  D.  Stinson,  Esq.,  Sandwich. 

Pres.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  D.,  Jack* 

sonville. 
Rev.  Lathrop  Taylor,  Farmington. 
Rev.  Henry  M.  Tupper,  Waverly. 
Prof.  John  C.  Webster,  Wheaton. 
Rev.  John  W.  White,  Morrison. 
Rev.  Martin  K.  Whittlesey,  Ottawa. 
Martin  Wnght,  Lee  Center. 
Rev.  Samuel  G.  Wright,  Dover. 

INDIANA. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  A.  Hyde,  Indianapolis. 
Rev.  John  L.  Jenkins,  Kokomo. 
Dea.  A.  G.  Willard,  Indianapolis. 

IOWA. 

Rev.  Harvey  Adams,  Farmington. 
Caleb  B.  Atkins,  Glenwood. 
Rev.  George  Bent,  Burr  Oak. 
Rev.  Henry  L.  BuUen,  Durant. 
Rev.  Cornelius  S.  Cady,  Maquoketa. 
Rev.  Joshua  M.  Chamberlain,  Des  Moines. 
Rev.  Samuel  D.  Cochran,  Grinnell. 
Rev.  William  L.  Coleman,  Mitchell. 
Rev,  Miner  W.  Fairfield,  Lyons* 
Dea.  John  G.  Foote,  Burlington. 
Rev.  Charles  H.  Gates,  Oskaloosa. 
Rev.  James  B.  Gilbert,  Lansing. 
Rev.  Jesse  Guernsey,  Dubuque. 
Rev.  Lemuel  Jones,  Bellevue. 
Rev.  Daniel  Lane,  Eddyville. 
Rev.  Orville  W.  Merrill,  Anamosa. 
Rev.  John  K.  Nutting,  Bradford. 
Richard  J.  Patterson,  m.  d..  Mount  Pleas- 
ant 


K£JUSERS* 


21 


Ser.  Goes  M.  Porter,  Gamarino. 
Dem.  John  Porter,  Cedar  Falls. 
Bev.  J  alius  A.  Reed,  Davenport. 
Seth  Bkdiardsy  Bentonsport. 
Bev.  Alden  B.  Robbing,  Muscatine. 
Rev.  Isaac  Russell,  Bowen's  Prairie. 
Rev.  William  Salter,  d.  d.,  Burlington. 
Rev.  Samuel  P.  Sloan,  McGregor. 
Fitch  B.  Stacy,  Stacyville. 
Rev.  ChanncY  Taylor,  Algona. 
Rev.  Thomas  Tenny,  Plymouth. 
Rev.  John  Todd,  Tabor. 
Rev.  Asa  Turner,  Denmark. 
Alfred  Woods,  Iowa  Falls. 


Dea.  Charles  C.  Sawyer,  Saco. 
Rev.  Rufus  M.  Sawyer,  York. 
Rev.  David  Shepley,  Yarmouth. 
Rev.  William  T.  Sleeper,  Patten. 
Charled  A.  Stack  pole,  Gorham. 
Francis  K.  Swan,  Calais. 
Nathaniel  T.  Talbot,  Rockport 
Joseph  J.  Taylor,  New  Castle. 
Rev.  Sewall  Tenny,  d.  d.,  Ellsworth. 
Hon.  William  W.Thomas,  Portland. 
Dea.  Joseph  Titcomb,  Kennebunk. 
Rev.  Horace  Toothaker,  New  Sharon. 
Rev.  George  Leon  Walker,  Portland. 
Rev.  Benjamin  G.  Willey,  East  Sumner. 


KAK8AA. 


,  1 


MARTLAin). 


Rev.  Lewis  Bodwell,  Wyandotte. 
Rev.  Richard  Cordley,  Lawrence. 
William  Crosby,  Grasshopper  Falls. 
Rev.  James  D.  Liggett,  Leavenworth. 
Hon.  Samuel  C.  Pomeroy  (U.  S.  S.),  Atch- 
ison. 
William  H.  Watson,  Leavenworth. 


Rev.  Edwin  Johnson,  Baltimore. 
Nathaniel  Noyes, 


(( 


MAunc 


''  [ 


Bev.  Geo.  E.  Adams,  d.  d.,  Brunswick. 

Rev.  Uriah  Balkam,  Lewiston. 

Rev.  Smith  Baker,  Jr.,  Yeazie. 

Bev.  Joseph  Bartlett,  Buxton. 

Dea.  Jacob  Blanchard,  Blanchard. 

Josiah  Brown,  Bethel. 

Bev.  Elbridge  G.  Carpenter,  Houlton. 

Rev.  Benjamin  C.  Chase,  Foxcroft. 

Bev.  Albert  Cole,  Cornish. 

Bev.  Temple  Cutler,  Skowhegan. 

Bev.  Edward  F.  Cutter,  Rockland. 

Bev.  John  Dinsmore,  Winslow. 

Dea.  Elnathan  F.  Dnren,  Bangor. 

Bev.  Franklin  E.  Fellows,  Kennebunk. 

Bev.  John  O.  Fiske,  Bath. 

Hon.  Bobert  Goodenow,  Farmington. 

ProC  Samuel  Harris,  d.  d.,  Bangor. 

Bev.  Josiah  T.  Hawes,  Bridgeton  Cen- 
ter. 

Bev.  Alfred  E.  Ives,  Castine. 

Bev.  Seth  H.  Keeler,  d.  d.,  Calais. 

Charles  A.  Lord,  Portland. 

Hon.  Seth  May,  Auburn. 

Bev.  Wellington  Newell,  Brewer  Vil- 
lage. 

Dea.  Simon  Page,  HallowelL 

Bev.  Wooster  Parker,  Belfiist. 


MASSACHUSETTS.        /  ^ 

Ebenezer  Alden,  m.  d.,  Randolph. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Alden,  Jr.,  Marshfield, 

Rev.  George  Allen,  Worcester. 

Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  d.  d.,  Boston. 

John  S.  Andrews,  m.  d.,  Ashby. 

Rev.  George  N.  Anthony,  Marlboro'. 

Dea.  Horace  Armsby,  Millbury. 

Rev.  Rowland  Ayres,  Had  ley. 

Rev.  James  M.  Bacon,  Essex. 

Rev.  William  M.  Barbour,  South  Dan- 
vers. 

Rev.  Willam  Barrows,  Reading. 

Rev.  Thomas  C.  Biscoe,  Grafton. 

Rev.  Amos  Blanchard,  d.  d.,  LowelL 

Dea.  Wm.  S.  Bradbury,  Westminster. 

Rev.  Samuel  G.  Buckingham,  Spring- 
field. 

Timothy  W.  Carter,  Chicopee. 

Wm.  C.  Chapin,  Lawr(>nce. 

Hon.  Linus  Child,  Boston. 

Hon.  Henry  H.  Childs,  Pittsfleld. 

Dea.  John  Clar)',  Conway. 

Rev.  Robert  Crawford,  d.  d.,  Deerfield. 

Dea.  Walter  Crocker,  West  Barnstable. 

Rev.  Christopher  Cuahing,  North  Brook- 
field. 

Rev.  J.  Jay  Dana,  Cummington. 

Rev.  Emerson  Davis,  d.  d.,  Westfield. 

Joseph  A.  Denny,  Leicester. 

Rev.  Henry  M.  Dexter,  Boston. 

Hon.  Allen  W.  Dodge,  Hamilton. 

Rev.  John  Dodge,  Harvard. 


22 


JufinBlSUrO* 


Rev,  Edmund  Dowse,  Sherbom. 

DeA.  Nathaniel  Eddy,  East  Middleboro*. 

Bey.  Zachaiy  Eddy,  d.  d.,  Northamp- 
ton. 

Bey.   Nathaniel    H.    Eggleston,   Stock- 
bridge. 

Bey.  Alfred  Emerson,  Fitchbarg. 

Bey.  Joshua  Emery,  Weymouth. 

Gonstantine  G.  Esty,  Framingham. 

Dea.  Phinehas  Field,  East  Charlemont. 

Dea.  John  A.  Fitch,  Hopkinton. 

Allen  Folger,  Gardner. 

Jonathan  French,  Braintree. 

Bey.  Nahum  Gale,  d.  d.,  Lee. 

Timothy  Gordon,  m.  d.,  Plymouth. 

Dea.  Jabez  B.  Gott,  Bockport 

Bey.  John  W.  Harding,  Longmeadow. 

Dea.  Ivoiy  H.  Harlow,  Middleboro*. 

Jacob  Haskell,  Fitchburg. 

Dea.  Henry  Haynes,  Sturbridge. 

Dea.  Wm.  E.  Hinsdale,  Blandford. 

Moses  Howe,  Hayerhill. 

Dea.  Geo.  W.  Hubbard,  Hatfield. 

Bey.  Jacob  Ide,  d.  d.,  West  Medway. 

Dea.  Galen  James,  Medford. 

Gharles  A.  Jessup,  Westfield. 

Bey.  James  P.  Kimball,  Falmouth. 

Bey.  Edward  N.  Kirk,  d.  d.,  Boston. 

Dea.  Samuel  M.  Lane,  Southbridge. 

Bey.  Isoao  P.  Langworthy,  Chelsea. 

Bey.  Charles  Lord,  Buckland. 

Bey.  Erastus  Maltby,  Taunton. 

Bey.  Abijah  P.  Maryin,  Winchendon. 

Bey.  Elihu  P.  Marvin,  Medford. 

Bey.  James  T.  McCoUom,  Bradford. 

Bey.  James  B.  Miles,  Charlestown. 

Hon.  Henry  Morris,  Springfield. 

Bey.  Osborne  Myrick,  Provincetown. 

Dea.  Lorenzo  S.  Nash,  Granby. 

Bey.  Theophilus  Packard,  Sunderland. 

Bey.  William  P.  Paine,  d.  d.,  Holden. 

Prof.  Edwards  A.  Park,  D.  D.,  Andoyer. 

Bey.  Ariel  E.  P.  Perkins,  Ware. 

Bey.  Balph  Perry,  Agawam. 

Bey.  John  Pike,  Bowley. 

Joseph  G.  Pollard,  Wobum. 

Zebulon  Pratt^  North  Middleboro*. 

Bey.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  New  Bedford. 

Dea.  Edgar  H.  Beed,  Taunton. 

Dea.  Josiah  Beed,  South  Weymouth. 

Nathaniel  C.  Bobbins,  Salem. 

Bey.  Beuben  T.  Bobinson,  Winchester. 

B«y.  Ezekiel  Bussell,  d.  d.,  East  Ban- 
dolph. 

Bey.  Lewis  Sabin,  d.  d.,  Templeton. 


Marshall  S.  Scudder,  Grantyille. 

Bey.  John  S.  Sewall,  Wenham. 

Dea.  John  Smith,  Andoyer. 

Pres.  William  A.  Steams,  d.  d.,  Amherst 

Dea.  Charles  Stoddard,  Boston. 

Bey.  Seth  Sweetser,  d.  d.,  Worcester. 

Heniy  W.  Taft,  Lenox. 

Bey.  Eli  Thurston,  Fall  Biyer. 

Dea.  William  Thurston,  NewbuiyxMrt. 

Bey.  John  Todd,  d.  d.,  Pittsfield. 

Bey.  Edwin  B.  Webb,  Boston. 

Bey.  Joshua  W.  Wellman,  Newton. 

Dea.  Albert  D.  Whitmore,  Housatonic. 

Bey.  John  Willard,  Fairhaven. 

Bey.  William  H.  Willcox,  Beading. 

Hon.  Samuel  Williston,  Easthampton. 

Bey.  Thomas  Wilson,  Stoughton. 

Bartholomew  Wood,  Newton. 

Dea.  Luther  Wright,  Easthampton. 

MICHIGAN.    .     , 

Bey.  Joshua  W.  Allen,  Franklin. 
Dea.  Sherman  S.  Barnard,  Detroit. 
Bey.  Henry  Bates,  Grass  Lake. 
Hon.  J.  Webster  Childs,  Augusta. 
Bey.  Geo.  H.  Coffey,  Jackson. 
Hon.  Wm.  I.  Comwell,  Newaygo. 
Dea.  Samuel  F.  Drury,  Oliyet. 
Bey.  Hiram  Elmer,  Clinton. 
Dea.  Allen  Fish,  Port  Huron. 
Bey.  Thomas  F.  Hicks,  Alpena. 
Homer  0.  Hitchcock,  m.  d.,  Kalamazoo. 
Bey.  James  S.  Hoyt,  Port  Huron. 
Bey.  Philo  R.  Hurd,  Romeo. 
Bey.  Thomas  Jones,  Olivet. 
Bey.  Adam  S.  Kedzie,  Somerset. 
Bev.  James  A.  BIcKay,  Lamont. 
Bey.  Henry  Mills,  Kalamazoo. 
Bey.  John  C.  Myers,  Saugatuck. 
George  K.  Newcombe,  Esq.,  East  Sagi- 
naw. 
Bey.  John  Patchin,  Owosso. 
Bev.  Herbert  A.  Read,  MarshaU. 
Bey.  Charles  Spooner,  Greenville. 
Bev.  Alanson  St.  Clair,  Croton. 
Bey.  James  F.  Taylor,  Chelsea. 
Hon.  James  B.  Walker,  Benzonia. 
Bey.  Le  Boy  Warren,  Elk  Bapids. 


MINNESOTA. 

Bey.  Edward  Brown,  Zumbrota. 
Bey.  David  Burt,  Wiuona. 


m  ^^w  if  i*?ttB« 


23 


Rev.  Richard  Hall,  St  Paul. 
Bev.  Abel  K.  Packard,  Anoka. 
Dea.  Oliver  Pendleton,  Wabasha. 
Ber.  Charles  C.  Salter,  Minneapolis. 
Bev.  Charles  Seccombe,  St  Anthony. 
Bev.  Charles  Shedd,  Wasioja. 
Bev.  James  W.  Strong,  Faribaulf 
Bev.  Edwin  S.  Williams,  Northfleld. 


MIBSOUBI. 


7 


Warren  Carrier,  Esq.,  St  Louis. 
Bev.  Truman  M.  Post,  d.  d.,  St  Lonis. 
Bev.  Jalian  M.  Stortevant,  Jr.,  Hanni- 
baL 


NEBRASKA. 


^■' 


Bev.  Benben  Gaylord,  Omaha  City. 
Bev.  Elisha  M.  Lewis,  Nebraska  City. 


HSW  HAMPSHIBE.  >     ■ 


Bev.  George  M.  Adams,  Portsmonth. 

Bev.  Zedekiah  S.  Barstow,  d.  d.,  Keene. 

Bev.  Nathaniel  Bonton,  d.  d..  Concord. 

Stephen  Brown,  Kensington. 

Dea.  Sampson  W.  Buffiim,  Winchester. 

Dea.  Orrin  Bagbee,  Lake  Village. 

Bev.  Erastus  B.  Claggett,  Lyndeboro*. 

Bev.  Edward  W.  Clark,  Claremont 

Dea.  Horace  Childs,  Henniker. 

Bev.  Josiah  6.  Davis,  Amherst 

Dea.  Archibald  H.  Donlap,  Nashua. 

Dea.  Andrew  A.  Famsworth,  Peterboro*. 

Hon.  Asa  Freeman,  Dover. 

Bev.  William  L.  Gay  lord,  Fitzwilllam. 

Hon.  Milan  Harris,  Harrisville. 

Bev.  Henry  A.  Hazen,  Plymouth. 

Hon.  Thomas  J.  Melvin,  Chester. 

Dea.  Abel  K.  Merrill,  Haverhill. 

Bev.  Charles  K.  Milliken,  Littleton. 

Prof.  Daniel  J.  Noyes,  D.  D.,  Hanover. 

Dea.  Daniel  H.  Parker,  Dunbarton. 

Bev.  Henry  E.  Parker,  Concord. 

Bev.  Ebenezer  G.  Parsons,  Derry. 

William  Ramsdell,  Milford. 

Bev.  Moses  T.  Bunnels,  Orford. 

Bev.  William  T.  Savage,  Franklin. 

Bev.  Josiah  H.  Steams,  Epping. 

Bev.  Benjamin  P.  Stone,  d.  d.,  Con- 

•     cord. 
Bev.  Alvan  Tobey,  Durham. 
Bev.  Cyrus  W.  Wallace,  Manchester. 


Albert  E.  Wellman,  Cornish. 

Bev.  Horace  Wood,  Ossipee  Comer. 

Bev.  John  I K.  Tonng,  d.  d.,  LaooniA. 


raw  JXB8BT. 


Bev.  John  M.  Holmes,  Jersey  City. 
Lowell  Mason,  Jr.,  Orange. 


HSW  TORK. 


-f  i 


Bev.  Stephen  A.  Barnard,  Willsborough. 
Bev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Brooklyn. 
Henry  G.  Bowen,  Esq.,  Brookl3rn. 
Dea.  Edson  Boyd,  m.  d.,  Ashville. 
Bev.  John  Bradshaw,  Crown  Point 
Dea.  Albert  G.  Bristol,  m.  d.,  Bochester. 
Bev.  Wm.  I.  Budington,  d.  d.,  Brooklyn 
Bev.  Jeremiah  Butler,  Fairport 
Bev.  Edward  D.  Chapman,  Sinclearville. 
Dea.  Wm.  H.  Childs,  Niagara  City. 
Bev.   Oliver  E.  Daggett,  d.  d.,  CanaU" 

daigua. 
Dea.  Lorenzo  D.  Dana,  Morrisville. 
Bev.  Edward  Davies,  WaterviUe. 
Bev.  Morgan  L.  Eastman,  Lisbon. 
Rev.  Greorge  L.  Entler,  Meredith. 
Bev.  Griffith  Griffiths,  Utica. 
Bev.  Henry  M.  Hazeltine,  Sherman. 
Bev.  L.  Smith  Hobart,  Syracuse. 
Bev.  John  C.  Holbrook,  d.  d..  Homer. 
Charles  Hopkins,  Norwich. 
Dea.  Hiram  Hulburd,  Stockholm. 
Bev.  Samuel  Johnson,  Chenango  Forks. 
Rev.  Seneca  M.  Keeler,  Guilford  Center. 
John  M.  Kinsman,  North  Potsdam. 
Rev.  Joshua  Leavitt,  d.  d..  New  York. 
Dea.  Thomas  Marvin,  Walton. 
Rev.  Samuel  Miller,  Eaton. 
Rev.  John  H.  Nason,  Smyrna. 
Rev.  Richard  Osbom,  Champion. 
Bev.  Ray  Palmer,  d.  d.,  Albany. 
Rev.  Samuel  T.  Richards,  Spencerport 
Rev.  Thomas  H.  Rouse,  Jamestown. 
Rev.  Aaron  Snow,  Miller's  Place. 
Daniel  S.  Tarr,  Gloversville. 
Rev.   Jos.   P.   Thompson,   d.   d.,  New 

York. 
Rev.  Warren  W.  Warner,  Lawrenceville. 
Rev.  Moses  H.  Wilder,  Gaines. 
Rev.  Edwin  E.  Williams,  Warsaw. 
David  S.  Williams,  Flushing. 
Rev.  Horace  Winslow,  Binghamton. 
Hon.  Arden  Woodruff,  Strj'kersville. 


24 


Jh  KMpISKoi 


OHIO. 


Rev.  Alex.  Bartlett,  Austinbnrg. 
Bev.  Henry  S.  Bennett,  Wakeman. 
Bev.  Loren  W.  Brintnall,  York. 
Dea.  Asa  Cady,  East  Cleveland. 
Dea.  Charles  Clark,  Cuyahoga  Falb. 
Rev.  George  Darling,  Hudson. 
Bev.  Thomas  W.  Davies,  Youngstown. 
Prof.  James  H.  Fairchild,  Oberlm. 
Rev.  Hem  an  Geer,  Wayne. 
Dea.  Abram  Griswold,  Gustaviu. 
Rev.  John  C.  Hart,  Kent 
Rev.  Ly Sander  Kelsey,  Columbus. 
Andrew  J.  Knapp,  Wauseon. 
Rev.  Thomas  E.  Monroe,  Mt  Vernon. 
Dea.  Thomas  W.  Painter,  Weymouth. 
Chas.  W.  Palmer,  Esq.,  Cleveland. 
Hon.  Francis  D.  Parish,  Sandusky. 
Hon.  Douglas  Putnam,  Harmar. 
Rev.  Edward  W.  Root,  Spring^eld. 
Bev.  John  SaflTord,  Bellevue. 
Rev.  S.  Willard  Segur,  Tallmadge. 
Hon.  Lester  Taylor,  Claridon. 
Rev.  James  A.  Thome,  Cleveland. 
Rev.  Charles  W.  Torrey,  Madison. 
Joseph  P.  Walker,  m.  d.,  Cincinnati. 
Evander  S.  Warner,  Kelloggsville. 
Rev.  Wm.  Watkins,  Newburgh. 
Rev.  Thomas  Wickes,  d.  d..  Marietta. 
Rev.  Samuel  Wolcott,  d.  d.,  Cleveland. 
Dea.  Wm.  W.  Wright,  Oberlin. 

OREGON. 

Rev.  Geo.  H.  Atkinson,  Portland. 

PENNSTLVA2IIA. 

Rev.  Davis  R.  Barker,  Guy's  Mills. 
Geo.  B.  Delamater,  Esq.,  Meadville. 
Rev.  Edward  Hawes,  Philadelphia. 
Rev.  Philip  Peregrine,  Blossburg. 
Rev.  George  W#  Smiley,  d.  d.,  Philadel- 
phia. 
Rev.  Roderick  R.  Williams,  Pittsburg. 

RHODE  ISLAHD. 

Hon.  Amos  C.  Barstow,  Providence. 
Rev.  Constantino  Blodgett,  d.  d.,  Paw- 
tucket. 
Rowland  Hazard,  Esq.,  Peace  Dale. 
Rev.  Leonard  Swain,  d.  d..  Providence. 


Rev.  Thomas  E.  Bliss,  Memphis. 

YERMONT. 

Hon.  James  D.  Bell,  Walden. 
Rev.  Nelson  Bishop,  Windsor. 
Rev.  Lewis  0.  Brastow,  St.  Johnsbury. 
Rev.  Ezra  H.  Byington,  Windsor. 
Rev.  Calvin  B.  Cady,  Alburgh. 
Charles  Carpenter,  W.  Charleston. 
Edward  Conant,  Randolph. 
George  H.  Crane,  Northfield. 
Rev.  Theodore  M.  Dwight,  Putney. 
Benj.  Fairchild,  m.  d.,  Milton. 
Rev.  Clark  E.  Ferrin,  Hinesburgh. 
Rev.  James  T.  Ford,  Stowe. 
Geo.  F.  French,  Lunenburg. 
Hon.  Ira  Goodhue,  Westminster. 
Rev.  Henry  M.  Grout,  W.  Rutland. 
Rev.  L.  Ives  Hoadley,  Craftsbury. 
Rev.  Azariah  Hyde,  Pawlet. 
Dea.  Samuel  James,  Jr.,  Weybridge. 
Rev.  Isaac  Jennings,  Bennington. 
Dea.  Freeman  Keyes,  Newbury. 
Hon.  Wm.  C.  Kittredge,  Fairhaven. 
Rev.  Benjamin  Labaree,  d.  d..  Middle- 
bury. 
Rev.  Silas  McKeen,  d.  d.,  Bradford. 
Rev.  Wm.  Stratton  Palmer,  Wells  River. 
Rev.  Charles  C.  Parker,  Waterbury. 
Rev.  Sidney  K.  B.  Perkins,  Glover. 
Dea.  Henry  W.  Robinson,  Johnson. 
Dea.  Edward  D.  Selden,  Brandon. 
Gov.  James  G.  Smith,  St.  Albans. 
Dea.  Gilbert  M.  Sykes,  Dorset. 
Rev.  Charles  C.  Torrey,  Chester. 
Rev.  George  P.  Tyler,  d.  d..  Brattle- 

boro*. 
Josiah  B.  Wheelock,  Coventry. 
Samuel  D.  Winslow,  Townshend. 

WISCONSIN. 

Rev.  Asa  S.  Allen,  Black  Earth. 
Rev.  Charles  Boynton,  Watertown, 
Dea.  Russell  Chenej',  Emerald  Grove. 
Rev.  Dexter  Clary,  Beloit. 
Dea.  Orris  K.  Coe,  Watertown. 
Rev.  Joseph  Collie,  Delavan. 
Rev.  Isaac  N.  Cundall,  Rosendale.     ^ 
Rev.  Franklin  B.  Doe,  Appleton. 
Timothy  Dwight,  Esq.,  Beloit. 


HEMBEBS. 


25 


BeT.  Solomon  A.  Dwinnell,  Keedsbnrg. 
Amabel  Finch,  Esq.,  Milwaukee. 
Rev.  Joseph  W.  Healey,  Milwaakee. 
Hon.  Edward  D.  Holton,  Biilwaokee. 
Dea.  Guerdon  Judson,  Baymond. 
Rer.  Dayid  M.  Jones,  ^jrena. 
W.  Wallace  Jones,  La  Crosse. 
Rev.  William  DeLoas  Love,  Biilwaukee. 
Rev.  Charles  T.  Meivin,  EUl  Grove. 


fiev.  William  E.  Merriman,  Ripon. 
Rev.  Edward  G.  Miner,  Whitewater. 
Rev.  Henry  A.  Miner,  Menasha. 
Rev.  Lucius  Parker,  Palmyra. 
Rev.  Philo  C.  Pettibone,  Beloit 
George  W.  Pratt,  River  Falls. 
Rev.  John  C.  Sherwin,  La  Crosse. 
Rev.  George  Spaulding,  W.  Eaa  Claire. ' 


HONORARY  MEMBERS. 

The  following  persons  were  subsequently  made  honorary 
members,  most  of  them  on  account  of  their  appointment  to 
special  service  by  the  preliminary  conference  at  New  York. 
Many  members  of  those  committees  are  not  named  here,  from 
the  fact  that  they  were  delegates,  and  are  on  the  roll  proper. 

Bev.  Israel  W.  Andrews,  d.d.,  Marietta,  O.  Dea.  Samuel  Holmes,  New,  York. 

Rev.  Geo.  W.  Blagden,  d.  d.,  Boston.  Rev.  Daniel  P.  Noyes,  Boston. 

J.  Russell  Bradford,  Esq.,  Boston.  Dea.  Julius  A.  Palmer,  Boston. 

Hon.  Samuel  A.  Chapin,  Nevada.  Rev.  Joseph  E.  Roy,  Chicago,  111. 

Prof.  Geo.  P.  Fisher,  New  Haven,  Ct.  Prof.  George  Shepard,  d.  d.,  Bangor,  Me. 

Prof.  Franklin  W.  Fisk,  Chicago,  111.  Rev.  Andrew  L.  Stone,  d.  d.,  Boston. 

Henry  Hill,  Esq.  (Saxonville  P.  O.),  Edward  S.  Tobey,  Esq.,  Boston. 
Framingham. 

The  following  persons  were  received  as  delegates  from 
foreign  countries :  — 

Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales.  — Rev.  Robert  Yaughan,  d.  d.  ;  Rev. 
Alexander  Raleigh,  d.  d.  ;  (Rev.  James  W.  Massie,  dd.,  ll.  d.,  honorary.) 

Glanmorganshire  Association,  Wales,  —  Rev.  John  Thomas,  d.  d.  ;  C.  R.  Jones, 
Esq. ;  J.  Griffith,  Esq. 

North  Staffordshire  Congregational  Union.  —  Rev.  S.  R.  Asbury. 

Union  of  Evangelical  Church  of  France.  —  Rev.  Theodore  Monod. 

Congregational  Union  of  Canada.  —  Rev.  Edward  Ebbs ;  Rev.  Henry  Wilkes, 
D.  D. ;  Rev.  John  Wood  ;  Rev.  E.  J.  Sherrill ;  Rev.  Archibald  Duff;  Rev.  D.  C. 
Frink ;  Theodore  Lymun,  Esq.  / 

Congregational  Union  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick, — Rev.  W.  H.  Daniels. 

The  membership  of  the  Coimcil,  therefore,  was  as  follows :  — 

Whole  number  of  delegates, 602 

Honorary  members,  14 

Delegates  from  Foreign  Countries, 16 

Total  membership, 632 

Rev.  Andrew  L.  Stone,  d.  d.,  of  Boston,  chairman  of  the 


26  DB.  stone's  address. 

local  committee  of  arrangements,  called  the  coimcil  to  order, 
and  welcomed  the  delegates  in  the  following  address :  — 


Brethben  of  the  Council:  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  calling  you 
to  order,  and  of  asking  your  attention  for  a  moment,  before  suggesting 
a  temporary  organization,  while  I  report  briefly  on  behalf  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Arrangements,  what  we  have  done  as  your  servants,  in  prepar- 
ing for  your  coming. 

I  have  been  persuaded  that  it  is  not  inappropriate  for  me  oflScially  to 
utter  to  you  this  first  voice  of  public  salutation.  We  are  glad  to  wel- 
come to-day  our  fathers  and  brethren,  the  representatives  of  the 
churches  of  our  faith  and  order  through  the  land,  to  this  cradle  of  the 
Congregational  order,  and  of  Puritan  principles.  We  would  have  you 
feel  that  you  have  come  Jwme,  and  that  all  the  doors  and  hearts  of  the 
old  home  are  open  to  your  return.  We  should  rejoice  to  find  you  able 
to  make  the  associations  under  whose  shadow  you  are  come,  and  in  the 
midst  of  which  you  shall  walk  and  sit  for  these  days  or  these  weeks  of 
your  abiding  among  us,  the  tender  and  sacred  associations  of  a  domestic 
scene,  from  which  you  once  went  forth,  and  to  which  you  have  now 
come  back. 

Be  at  home  with  us,  feel  at  home,  and  take  the  warmth  of  a  home 
greeting. 

And  we  do  not  forget  that  there  are  some  among  you  who  have 
crossed  international  lines,  and  others  who  have  crossed  dividing  seas, 
brethren  of  the  same  language,  of  the  same  faith,  and  of  the  same  re- 
moter forefathers,  to  partake  of  the  fellowship,  and  to  share  in  the  delib- 
erations of  this  body.  We  extend  to  you  on  the  shores  of  this  New 
England  the  right  hand  of  Christian  brotherhood.  May  those  interna- 
tional lines  and  those  dividing  seas  between  these  two  great  nations  and 
their  dependencies,  never  be  crossed  by  the  armies  and  armaments  of 
war, —  never  but  as  now,  by  the  envoys  and  messengers  of  peace  I 

It  seems  to  us  well,  apart  from  all  our  personal  pleasure  and  profit  in 
the  matter,  that  this  Council  should  assemble  in  Boston,  where,  or  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  which,  in  other  days,  the  grand  synods  of  our  church 
order  have  met  in  grave  epochs  of  our  history ;  as  the  synod  of  1637  in 
Cambridge  (then  Newtown),  which  gave  its  crushing  deliverances  con- 
cerning the  heresies  of  Mistress  Anne  Hutchinson;  the  synod  of  1648, 
which  issued  the  Cambridge  Platform,  after  two  years  of  incubation; 
the  synod  of  1662,  —  203  years  ago,  —  which  sat  in  the  first  church  in 
this  city,  gathering  in  March,  adjourning  to  June,  and  afterwards  to 
September,  and  determined  so  disastrously  upon  the  subjects  of  "  bap- 
tism and  the  consociation  of  churches."  By  these  memorable  prece- 
dents, this  is  naturally  and  historically  the  Jerusalem  of  our  tribes, 
whither  they  should  go  up  for  the  high  festivals  of  their  progress  and 
Btory. 

We  have  thought  it  fitting,  too,  that  your  first  assembling  should  be 
within  the  walls  of  this  old,  historic  meeting-house ;  kindly  granted  us 


DR.  stone's  address.  27 

by  the  church  and  society  for  this  purpose.  This  house  was  built  thir- 
ty-six years  before  the  "  Declaration  of  Independence."  It  is  now  136 
years  old.  It  has  been  closely  identified  with  all  the  important  civil 
changes  in  this  city  and  commonwealth,  and  with  the  whole  growth  of 
civil  liberty.  Here  were  celebrated,  through  those  six-  years  pending 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  anniversaries  of  the  King  Street 
tragedy,  in  which  Crispus  Attucks  and  four  others  were  shot  by  an  in- 
solent royal  soldiery,  and  year  after  year  the  voices  of  Otis  and  Warren 
and  Adams  made  the  place  echo  with  their  indignant  patriotism.  For 
many  years  after,  the  anniversary  of  the  4th  of  July  was  kept  here  by 
oration  and  civic  ceremony.  Here  were  the  popular  gatherings  when 
the  public  mind  surged  into  strong  remonstrance  against  xthe  Stamp 
Act  Here,  too,  in  the  Kevolutionary  days,  British  officers  galloped  for 
their  own  training  and  exercise,  and  that  of  their  war  steeds,  while 
royalist  spectators  looked  down  upon  them  from  the  galleries. 

Here,  also,  have  been  scenes  of  memorable  religious  interest.  The 
echoes,  that  resounded  to  the  voices  of  patriot  orators,  awoke  also  to 
the  tones  of  Whitefield,  on  each  of  his  visits  to  this  city.  They  gave 
their  responses  to  the  words  of  Thatcher  and  Willard  and  Sewall,  and 
almost  all  the  great  New  England  divines  of  the  last  century. 

But  I  must  not  detain  you  by  such  reminiscences.  We  had  thought 
it  would  be  grateful  to  you  to  assemble  here,  even  if  you  should  find  it 
necessary  to  adjourn  to  some  place  with  more  quiet  surroundings  for 
your  daily  sessions.  We  have  taken  the  liberty  to  provide  such  a  place. 
The  Mount  Vernon  Church,  in  a  cordial  note  which  I  shall  lay  upon 
your  table,  tender  you  the  use  of  their  house  in  Ashburton  Place  for 
your  deliberations. 

We  have  remembered  your  coming  in  our  domestic  arrangements, 
and  have  provided  you  guest-room  in  the  city  and  in  our  suburban 
homes. 

We  have  remembered  you  in  our  cities  for  prayer,  and  have,  by  con- 
certed intercession,  besought  God  to  meet  you,  and  to  greet  you  with 
the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  make  your  work  here  the  foun- 
tain of  richest  spiritual  blessings  to  our  land  and  to  our  times,  both,  in 
these  great  days,  calling  upon  us  all  for  the  utmost  Christian  wisdom, 
energy,  and  consecration. 

I  repeat  the  suggestion  which  I  have  made,  that  the  Council  organize 
at  first  by  the  choice  of  temporary  chairman  and  secretary;  giving  time 
for  the  full  assembling  of  your  body,  and  a  more  deliberate  permanent 
organization.      , 

And  suggesting  only,  at  this  point,  one  thing  more,  —  that  it  seems  to 
your  Committee  of  Arrangements,  that  the  opening  sermon  would  be 
more  happily  listened  to  to-morrow  morning,  at  9  o'clock,  than  amid  the 
confusion  and  disorder  and  business  of  this  first  evening,  —  I  will  take 
the  liberty  of  nominating  Charles  Stoddard,  of  this  city,  a  delegate, 
as  I  know,  to  the  National  Council,  to  act  as  your  temporary  moderator 
daring  the  initial  services  of  the  Council. 


/ 


28  ARBANGEMENTS. 

The  nomination  was  unanimously  ratified. 

In  accordance  with  the  request  of  the  temporary  moderator, 
prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Edward  Becchcr,  d.  d.,  of  Illinois. 

The  moderator  then  nominated  Rev.  Henry  M.  Dexter,  of 
Boston,  as  temporary  secretary,  and  he  was  unanimously  ap- 
pointed. 

Deacon  Julius  A.  Palmer,  in  behalf  of  the  Committee  on 
Hospitality,  reported  in  reference  to  places  of  entertainment. 
The  committee  would  be  in  attendance  in  the  chapel  of  the  Old 
South  Church  after  adjournment,  and  on  Wednesday  evening 
until  7^  o'clock,  to  wait  upon  delegates  ;  and  afterwards  every 
day  in  the  chapel  of  the  church  where  the  sittings  would  be 
held.  Arrangements  had  been  made  for  meetings  in  the  Mount 
Vernon  Church,  where  the  body  of  the  church  woiJd  be  re- 
served for  delegates  and  foreign  visitors.  It  was  suggested  that 
the  daily  sessions  be  held  from  9  a.  m.  to  1  p.  m.,  and  from  3  p. 
M.  to  5  p.  M.,  two  hours  being  allowed  for  dintier.  It  was  ad- 
vised that  no  evening  sessions  be  held.  Mr.  Palmer  stated 
that  some  of  the  delegates  had  been  provided  for  in  adjoining 
towns,  on  account  of  the  absence  from  thp  city  of  many  families 
who  would  otherwise  have  furnished  accommodations. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  of  Massachusetts,  it 
was — 

Voted,  That  the  moderator  appoint  a  committee  (to  be  composed  of 
one  member  from  each  State  represented  here)  to  nominate  permanent 
officers  of  the  CoonciL 

The  moderator  appointed  that  committee  as  follows :  — 

Masaach/usetts  —  Hon.  Linns  Child;  Maine — Rev.  George  E.  Adams, 
D.  D.;  New  Hampshire — Rev.  Benjamin  P.  Stone,  D.  D.;  VeriiKmi  — 
Rev.  Benjamin  Labaree,  D.  D.;  Ehode  Island — Hon.  Amos  C.  Barstow; 
ContiecUcut  —  Rev.  Samuel  W.  8.  Button,  D.  D.;  J^eio  York  —  Rev. 
Joseph  P.  Thompson,  D.  D.;  Neio  Jersey — Rev.  John  M.  Holmes; 
Pennsylvania — Rev.  Davis  R.  Barker;  Delaware — Abner  H.  Bryant, 
Esq.;  Maryland — Nathaniel  Noyes,  Esq.;  Ohio  —  Judge  Francis  D. 
Parish;  Indiana — Rev.  Nathaniel  A  Hyde;  Illinois — Hon.  Charles  G. 
Hammond;  Michigan  —  Hon.  William  I.  Cornwell;  Wisconsin  —  Timo- 
thy D  wight,  Esq. ;  Iowa  —  Dea.  John  Porter;  Minnesota  —  Rev.  Charles 
C.  Salter;  Missouri — Warren  Currier,  Esq.;  Nebraska  —  Rev.  Reuben 
Gaylord;  Kansas  —  Hon.  Samuel  C.  Pomeroy;  Colorado  —  Samuel 
Cushman,  Jr.,  Esq.;  Oregon  —  Rev.  George  H.  Atkinson;  Tennessee 
—Rev.  Thomas  E.  Bliss;  California — Jacob  Bacon,  Esq. 


ORGANIZATION.  29 

Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  d.  d.,  of  Illinois,  moved  that  a 
committee  be  appointed  to  report  Rules  of  Order.  After  some 
discussion,  the  motion  was  carried,  and  the  following  gentle- 
men were  chosen  to  constitute  that  committee,  viz. :  — 

Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  D.,  of  111.;  Rev.  John  P.  Gulliver,  of 
Ct.;  Henry  C.  Bowen,  Esq.,  of  New  York. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  William  W.  Patton,  d.  d.,  of  HI.,  a  com- 
mittee of  five  was  appointed  to  receive  the  credentials  of 
members,  and  report  who  are  entitled  to  membership  in  this 
Council,  consisting  of — 

Rev.  William  W.  Patton,  D.  D.,  of  HI.;  Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  of 
Mass.;  Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  d.  d.,  of  111.;  Dea.  Allen  Fish,  of  Mich.; 
Hon.  Douglas  Putnam,  of  Ohio.  Rev.  Mr.  Quint  declining  to  serve, 
Jacob  Haskell,  of  Mass.,  was  appointed  instead;  and  on  request  of  the 
committee,  it  was  subsequently  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  Rev.  Robert 
C.  Learned,  of  Ct.,  and  Rev.  Samuel  Wolcott,  D.  d.,  of  Ohio. 

Hon.  Linus  Child,  from  the  committee  on  Permanent  Organi- 
zation, reported  as  follows  :  — 

That  the  permanent  oflScers  of  the  Council  consist  of  a  moderator,  two 
assistant  moderators,  and  five  scribes;  and  that  those  officers  be  the  fol- 
lowing:— 

Moderator  —  His  Excellency  Gov.  William  A.  Buckingham,  of  Conn. 

Assistant  Moderators  —  Hon.  Charles  G.  Hammond,  of  HI.;  Rev.  Jo- 
seph P.  Thompson,  D.  d.,  of  New  York. 

Scribes  —  Rev,  Henry  M.  Dexter,  of  Mass. ;  Dea.  Samuel  Holmes,  of 
New  York;  Rev.  Philo  R.  Hurd,  of  Michigan;  Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  of 
Mass.;  Caleb  Atkins,  of  Iowa. 

Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  of  Mass.,  declined  being  a  candidate 
for  the  position  of  scribe  ;  and  Rev.  Martin  K.  Whittlesey,  of 
HI.,  was  nominated  in  his  place. 

It  was  — 

Voted,  To  accept  and  adopt  the  report  of  the  committee;  and  the* 
Council  wajB  permanently  organized  by  the  choice  of  this  moderator, 
aMistanta,  and  scribes.  , 

Hon.  Linus  Child,  of  Mass.,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Button,  of  Conn., 
conducted  the  moderator  to  the  chair,  when  he  addressed  the 
Coimcil  as  follows :  — 


80  ORGANIZATION. 

Gentlemen  of  the  Council:  I  assume  the  responsibilities  of 
this  position  with  some  hesitation,  distrusting  my  ability  to  perform  them 
properly;  and  I  rely  with  confidence  upon  your  kind  co-operation  and 
assistance  to  aid  me  and  support  me  in  their  performance.  We  are  the 
representatives  of  three  thousand  Congregational  churches  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  who  recognize  the  responsibility  of  each  member, 
his  accountability  to  Christ,  the  great  Head  of  the  Church,  and  the  im- 
portance of  uniting  together  for  the  purpose  of  extending  the  interests 
of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  You  will  be  called  upon,  perhaps,  in  the 
first  place,  to  determine  whether  you  will  put  forth  a  declaration  of 
evangelical  faith  and  of  church  polity,  and  again  whether  you  will  adopt 
Bome  plan  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  all  these  churches  who  are  in  one 
common  faith,  in  measures  for  the  purpose  of  extending  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  and  especially  for  evangelizing  this  nation,  which  needs  more 
than  ever  to  be  instructed  in  the  first  principles  of  that  commandment, 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself."    [Applause.] 

The  meeting  is  now  open  for  the  consideration  of  these  and  of  any 
other  questions  which  may  come  before  you  for  consideration. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut,  and  after 
some  discussion,  it  was  — 

Voted,  That  the  opening  sermon  be  delivered  in  the  Mount  Vernon 
Church,  in  Ashburton  Place,  to-morrow,  at  9,  A.  M. 

On  motion  of  the  temporary  scribe,  it  was  — 

Voted,  That,  until  otherwise  ordered,  the  sessions  of  this  Council  be 
from  9,  A.  M.  to  1,  p.  H.,  and  from  3,  p.  h.  to  5,  p.  m. 

An  invitation  to  the  Council  to  visit  the  General  Theological 
Library  was  read  by  the  secretary  ;  after  which,  on  motion  of 
Hon.  Linus  Child,  of  Massachusetts,  it  was — 

Voted,  To  adjourn  to  to-morrow  morning,  at  9  o'clock,  to  meet  in  the 
Mount  Vernon  Church,  in  Ashburton  Place. 

A^oumed. 

SECOND  DAY,  THURSDAY,  JUNE  15. 

• 

The  Council  met  in  the  Mount  Vernon  Church  (Bev.  Dr. 
Bark's),  Ashburton  Place,  at  9  o'clock,  a.  m.,  the  moderator. 
Governor  Buckingham,  in  the  chair. 

PUBLIC  WORSHIP. 

Bev.  Dr.  Vaughan,  of  England,  read  the  hymn  commencing. 


SERMON.  81 

"  Let  children  hear  the  mighty  deeds ; " 

which  was  sung  by  the  congregation ;  after  which,  Rev.  Dr. 
Vaughan  read  the  cxliv.  Psalm,  and  the  second  chapter  of  the' 
First  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians,  and  offered  prayer;  and 
after  the  congregation  had  snng  the  psalm, — 


(I 


GloriooB  thiDgs  of  thee  are  spoken/'  — 


^ 


the  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  d.  d.,      .  / 
President  of  Illinois  College.  — 

SERMON.        ^^         f\^sn\      C^'-^^r.  Sjf'^^  ' 

Jebeviah  vi.  16.  —  **  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Stand  ye  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask  for 
the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for 
your  souls/' 

It  would  perhaps  not  be  diflScult  to  find  circles  of  opinion,  in  which 
the  selection  of  such  words  as  these  for  the  theme  of  discourse  would  be 
thought  to  require  an  apology.  Indeed,  judging  from  some  of  the  giv- 
ings-forth  of  the  periodical  press,  I  deem  it  not  improbable  that  there 
may  be  such  a  circle  in  this  goodly  city  of  Boston.  There  are,  I  fear, 
not  a  few  persons  among  us  who,  though  by  no  means  deficient  in  nat- 
ural gifts  or  generous  culture,  are  greatly  wanting  in  reverence;  men 
who  would  regard  the  exhortation  of  our  text,  when  applied  to  our  own 
times,  with  something  of  indignation  and  contempt,  as  though  it  were  a 
suggestion  that  the  enlightened  present  should  disown  her  wisdom,  and 
go  to  school  to  the  blind  aqd  stupid  past.  Such  men  seem  to  have  for- 
gotten that  the  past  is  ever  the  parent  of  the  present;  that  other  men 
have  labored,  and  we  are  entered  into  their  labors;  that,  whatever  supe- 
riority we  may  have  attained  over  those  who  have  gone  before  us,  we 
owe  to  the  principles  which  our  fathers  established,  to  the  institutions 
which  they  founded,  and  the  lessons  which  they  taught. 

But  I  am  fairly  entitled  to  assume  that  no  such  apology  is  necessary 
in  addressing  the  representatives  of  the  Congregational  churches  of  the 
United  States,  assembled  here  around  the  old  hearth-stone,  and  the 
cradle  of  our  political  and  religious  institutions;  not  only  from  the  hills 
and  valleys  where  the  New  England  fathers  sleep,  but  from  the  basin  of 
the  lakes,  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  and  its  branches,  the  glens  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  shores  of  the  Pacific. 

Nor  this  alone.  From  beyond  the  St  Lawrence,  brethren  beloved 
are  here;  and  from  that  beautiful  island  of  the  ocean,  which  is  the  mother 
of  us  all, — a  revered  and  honored  mother,  who,  though  in  these  late  years 
she  hath  chided  her  eldest  American  daughter  with  a  little  unmerited 
severity,  will  yet  honor  her  ancestral  bravery,  and  her  fidelity  to  her 
precious  inheritance  of  liberty. 

This  audience,  assembled  on  this  spot,  surely  needs  not  be  told  that 
there  are  principles  coeval  with  the  founding  of  these  New  England 


82  SERMON. 

colonies,  which  sustain  such  a  relation  to  our  whole  social  and  religious 
life,  that  we  can  never  have  any  sound  and  healthful  growth  except  by 
their  free  and  natural  development,  —  principles  which  sustain  the  same 
'relation  to  our  entire  nation,  however  great  it  may  become^  in  future 
ages,  which  the  little  germ  enclosed  in  the  acorn  does  to  the  sturdiest, 
monarch  of  the  forest 

I  am  sure  of  the  hearty  sympathy  of  this  audience,  in  "  standing  in 
the  ways,  to  ask  for  the  old  paths."  Our  fathers  were  but  men.  We 
claim  for  them  no  exemption  from  the  errors  and  follies  to  which  all 
this  poor  humanity  is  ever  subject.  But  God  was  with  them,  and  did 
guide  their  feet  into  paths  of  wisdom,  which  led  them  to  the  attainment 
of  a  condition  of  freedom  and  social  order,  which  richly  compensated 
them  for  all  the  danger  and  sufferings  of  the  wilderness,  and  is  destined 
to  confer  untold  blessings  on  their  descendants  for  ever.  And  it  is  well 
worthy  our  most  earnest  endeavor  to  trace  out  those  same  paths, 
through  all  the  intricacies  and  sorrowful  confusions  of  the  present;  and 
perfectly  safe  for  us  to  walk  in  them.  They  conducted  our  fathers  to 
prosperity  and  happiness  in  circumstances  seemingly  the  most  unpropi- 
tious  and  fbrbidding,  and  they  will  not  fail  to  conduct  us  to  the  same. 

We  propose  no  servile  imitation  of  the  fathers.  We  will  adhere  to  no 
principle  and  no  custom  because  it  was  theirs.  "  Prove  all  things,  hold 
fast  that  which  is  good,"  shall  be  our  motto.  We  intend  to  look 
backwards,  not  because  we  think  innovation  a  crime,  but  because  we 
know  that  all  true  national  growth  is  the  development  of  first  princi- 
ples; and  that  the  principles  of  any  nation's  life  are  to  be  learned,  not 
from  the  agitations  of  the  passing  moment,  but  from  the  study  of  its 
history.  We  think  it  wise  to  ask  the  fathers  what  is  the  seminal  princi- 
ple of  our  national  life,  by  the  development  pf  which  we  may  attain  to 
the  growth  and  strength  and  beauty  and  productiveness  of  which  God 
hath  made  us  capable. 

Kor  am  I  wrong  in  looking  to  the  early  history  of  New  England  for 
the  seeds  of  our  national  life.  The  French  De  Tocqueville,  not  a  Puri- 
tan, not  a  Protestant,  says:  — 

**  The  two  or  three  main  ideas  which  constitute  the  basis  of  the  social  theory  of  the 
United  States  were  first  combined  in  the  Northern  British  colonies,  more  generally  de- 
nominated the  States  of  New  England.  The  principles  of  New  England  spread  at  first 
to  the  neighboring  States;  they  then  passed  successively  to  the  more  distant  ones;  and 
at  length  they  imbued  the  whole  confederation.  They  now  extend  their  influence  be- 
yond its  limits  over  the  whole  American  world.  The  civilization  of  New  England  has 
been  like  a  beacon  lit  upon  a  hill,  which,  after  it  has  diflfused  its  wurmth  around,  tinges 
the  distant  horizon  with  its  glow." 

What,  then,  are  the  principles  of  social  life  which  are  indicated  in  the 
early  history  of  New  England  ?  In  the  foregrpund  of  the  picture 
meets  us  the  fact,  that  our  fathers  believed  in  their  heart  of  hearts  that 
God  had  revealed  himself  to  the  soul  of  man,  and  that  it  is  the  privilege 
and  the  duty  of  every  man  to  receive  and  obey  for  himself  that  revela- 
tion. With  clear  and  mighty  conviction  they  rejected,  as  unsatisfactory 
and  ontrue,  that  interpretation  and  social  expression  of  the  divine  will 


BERMOX.  38 

which  kings  and  nobles  and  bishops  had  imposed  with  tyrant  power  on 
every  foot  of  English  soil.  That  they  might  find  some  spot  of  earth  on 
which — some  arch  of  sky  beneath  which  —  they  might  individually  and 
socially  worship  God  according  to  their  own  understanding  of  his  will, 
not  only  brave  and  strong  men,  but  timid  old  age,  and  delicate  woman- 
hood, and  helpless  infancy,  dared  encounter  the  ocean,  the  wilderness, 
and  the  savage.  This  is  certainly  the  foremost  fact  in  the  history  of 
New  England,  nay,  of  North  America. 

Next  meets  us  the  fact,  that,  when  they  reached  their  desolate  home 
on  these  ice-bound  shores,  they  were  as  far  removed  from  the  govern- 
ment which  should  have  protected  their  persons  and  their  rights,  as 
from  the  step-mother  church  that  would  impose  on  them  her  ceremo- 
nies and  her  superstitions.  If  under  those  stem  winter  skies  they  were 
free  to  worship  God,  they  were  also  under  a  necessity  of  providing  for 
their  own  protection  from  cold  and  fEunine,  and  the  violence  of  bad 
men. 

It  needs  no  argument  to  show,  that,  from  such  a  history,  must  necessa- 
rily have  been  bom  a  "  Church  without  a  bishop,  and  a  State  without  a 
king."  The  family,  with  all  its  God-given  authorities,  sacred  subordina- 
tion, and  delicate  dependencies,  had  been  transx)orted  across  the  ocean, 
and  stood  unimpaired  and  unshaken  on  the  shores  of  a  new  world.  And 
never  has  it  been  more  revered,  or  more  honored,  than  by  the  fathers 
and  mothers  of  New  England.  But  all  else  of  the  religious  and  politi- 
cal authorities  of  the  Old  World  had  been  left;  on  the  other  side  of  the 
ocean.  The  individual  man,  the  family  tie,  and  the  golden  chain  that 
binds  each  individual  man  to  ^^  the  throne  and  monarchy  of  God,''  were 
all  that  remained  of  the  organic  forces  of  society.  These  men  are  social 
beings,  and  therefore  they  will  reconstruct  religious  and  political  soci- 
ety. But  they  will  construct  both  only  for  the  protection  of  individuals 
and  families,  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  God-given  rights,  and  to  aid 
them  in  performing  their  divinely-appointed  duties  and  achieving  their 
allotted  destiny.  The  recognition  of  the  rights,  the  duties  of  individual 
human  beings,  as  the  direct  subjects  of  the  government  of  God,  willj 
KXJST  be  the  germinant  principle  of  all  social  arrangements.  The  prin- 
ciple win  become  recognized  and  crowned  and  enthroned,  that  every 
individual  has  rights  which  God  gave  him  when  he  made  him  in  his  own 
image,  and  owes  an  allegiance  to  the  Supreme  Ruler  which  is  superior 
to  all  human  enactments,  and  which  rights  and  duties  no  earthly  power 
can  over-ride  in  the  smallest  degree,  without  incurring  the  righteous 
displeasure  of  God.  If,  from  these  feeble  beginnings,  a  nation  shall  grow 
up,  which  shall  stretch  from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  cover  a  continent  with 
the  emblems  of  its  power,  that  nation  must  rest  on  this  simple  principle, 
as  its  mountains  rest  on  their  foundations  of  everlasting  granite;  and  if 
at  any  point  in  its  future  history,  in  the  pride  of  its  prosperity  and  pow- 
er, it  shall  violate  this  sacred  principle,  an  earthquake  will  shake  its 
strongest  structures,  and  volcanic  fires  will  burst  up  from  beneath  its 
foundations,  and,  like  Sodom  of  old,  it  will  be  consumed  with  a  storm 

8 


84  SERMON. 

of  fire  and  brimstone,  unless  it  repents  in  sackcloth  and  ashes,  and  puts 
away  the  national  iniquity. 

That  this  principle  must  be  seminal  to  our  national  life,  no  thoughtful 
man  surely  will  deny;  and  in  searching  for  the  true  pathway  of  our  prog- 
ress, we  are  only  to  seek  for  the  just  and  rational  development  of  it  Is  it 
not,  then,  equally  obvious,  that,  in  constructing  society  on  this  principle, 
the  largest  amoimt  of  liberty  will  be  reserved  to  the  individual  wiiich  is 
consistent  with  provision  for  his  social  wants;  and  that,  in  all  social 
arrangements,  local  provisions  will  be  preferred  to  the  provincial,  the 
national,  or  the  imperial,  except  in  cases  where  the  latter  are  foimd  to 
be  essential  to  the  general  welfare?  The  individual  will  not  commit  to 
a  society  what  he  can  better  take  care  of  as  an  individual;  and  local 
communities  will  not  commit  to  general  sdt^ieties  what  they  can  better 
understand  and  better  provide  foK  than  any  more  general  society  can  do 
it  for  them.  Individuals  will  enjoy  the  largest  liberty,  local  communi- 
ties will  surrender  the  smallest  portion  of  their  independence,  consistent 
with  the  general  good;  and  imperial  power  will  only  be  permitted  to 
meddle  with  those  interests  in  wliich  all  the  millions  of  a  great  nation 
are  alike  concerned.  I  need  not  argue  before  this  audience  to  show, 
that  as  this  results  directly  and  necessarily  from  our  national  history, 
80  it  is  a  true  enunciation  of  the  characteristic  principle  of  American 
institutions  as  they  exist  in  fact;  and  that  the  more  perfectly  this  prin- 
ciple is  carried  out,  the  more  harmonious  and  beneficent  is  the  working 
of  our  social  machinery. 

What,  then,  is  the  development  of  this  principle  in  the  direction  of  relig- 
ion? I  need  not  prove  that  earnest  faith  in  the  gospel  must  and  always 
will  have  a  social  development  It  follows  inevitably  from  the  nature 
of  the  religion,  and  the  social  afiections  to  which  it  is  largely  addressed. 
Persons  living  in  each  other^s  neighborhood,  reading  the  Bible  in  the 
same  mother  tongue,  and  believing  with  the  heart  its  revelations  of  God 
and  Christ,  and  redemption  and  forgiveness,  and  the  life  everlasting, 
will  find  themselves  drawn  into  social  relations  by  irresistible  attrac- 
tions. They  will  organize  themselves  into  a  religious  society  for  mu- 
tual sympathy,  edification,  instruction,  and  co-operation,  as  naturally 
and  necessarily  as  the  loving  pair  unite  in  marriage  bonds,  or  as  beings 
possessed  of  human  nature  unite  in  civil  society. 

And,  consistently  with  the  conditions  which  the  Pilgrim  Fathers 
brought  with  them  to  the  shores  of  New  England,  consistently  with  the 
fundamental  principles  of  our  social  life,  they  will  organize  those  socie- 
ties, independent^  of  all  dictation  or  control  in  discipline,  worship,  and 
doctrine,  except  that  of  the  one  divine  Head  of  the  Church  of  God.  Had 
not  our  fathers  accepted  a  home  in  this  great  and  terrible  wilderness,  that 
they  might  eiyoy  the  doctrine,  the  discipline,  the  worship,  which  they 

^  The  author  of  this  discoarse  is  quite  well  aware  that  the  Congregationalism  of  our 
fiithers  recognizes  two  principles  as  fundamental,  —  the  self-government  and  the  fellow- 
dUp  of  the  churches:  and  if,  in  advocating  the  former  as  against  ecclesiastical  centraliza- 
tion, he  has  given  it  chief  prominence  in  this  discourse!  it  is  not  because  he  does  not  hold> 
or  uadervalues,  the  latter. 


SERMON.  85 

approved  ?  And  should  they  now  construct  any  authority  of  bishop 
or  council  or  presbytery,  empowered  to  interfere  with  their  enjoyment 
of  this  dear-bought  privilege  ?  And  why  should  any  society  of  Chris- 
tian men  and  women,  associated  for  these  religious  purposes,  subject 
themselves  to  any  such  control  of  human  power  and  invention  ?  They 
want  religious  teaching;  are  they  not  competent  to  select  their  own  re- 
ligious teachers,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  ?  They  want  to  exclude  from 
their  society  the  irreligious,  the  unbelieving,  the  scandalous,  the  pro- 
fane; are  they  not  better  qualified  to  estimate  the  character  of  the  men 
and  women  among  whom  they  live  than  any  distant  church  authority  ? 
They  want  a  doctrine  and  a  worship  conformed  to  the  divine  word; 
must  they  not  themselves  prove  all  things,  and  hold  fast  that  which  is 
good  ?  Can  they  delegate  the  judgment  of  these  matters  to  other  falli- 
ble men  like  themselves  ?  Does  not  their  individual  allegiance  to  God 
imply  their  indiyidual  right  to  try  the  teaching  they  hear,  and  the  wor- 
ship in  which  they  engage,  by  the  standard  of  God's  revealed  will,  and 
themselves  to  judge  what  is  right  ?  What  bishop,  coimcil,  presbytery, 
synod,  can  decide  for  them  ? 

While  thus  claiming  that  the  doctrine  of  the  independency  of  the 
local  church  was  a  most  natural  result  of  the  circumstances  and  the 
religious  convictions  of  the  fathers  of  Xew  England,  I  do  not  forget  the 
fact,  that  the  Pilgrims  of  Plymouth  had  been  instructed  in  the  princi- 
ples of  Congregational  independency  by  that  truly  great  and  good  man, 
John  Robinson,  before  they  left  the  mother  country,  and  during  their 
residence  in  Holland,  and  were  therefore  rooted  and  groimded  in  them 
before  they  embarked  for  America.  Kor  do  I  forget  the  still  more 
weighty  fact,  that  Robinson  himself  was  but  the  humble  pupil  of  the 
apostles  themselves;  that  the  churches  which  Paul  and  Peter  and  their 
fellow-apostles  founded  from  Jerusalem  to  Rome  were,  by  the  agree- 
ing judgment  of  the  ablest  writers  on  ecclesiastical  history,  independent 
local  churches;  and  that,  whatever  other  men  may  say  of  the  fathers, 
independency  is  sustained  by  the  uniform  practice  of  the  apostles. 

Such  were  the  churches  which  our  fathers  planted  amid  the  primeval 
forests  of  New  England;  such  were  the  churches  of  Plymouth  and  Sa- 
lem and  Boston;  and  as  their  settlements  encroached  farther  and  farther 
upon  the  domain  of  the  oak,  the  pine,  and  the  fir,  they  covered  the 
territory  which  they  reclaimed  from  the  wilderness  with  a  complete  net- 
work of  such  churches.  It  was  the  function  of  each  of  these  churches 
to  care  for  the  intellectual  and  religious  culture  of  the  entire  population 
within  their  respective  boundaries.  Thus,  at  every  step  of  their  ad- 
vance, the  Christian  teacher  and  the  schoolmaster  accompanied  them, 
and  every  child  was  taught  the  rudiments  both  of  secular  and  of  divine 
knowledge.  This  was  a  true  development  of  the  principle  of  our  na- 
tional life;  and  we  may  well  challenge  any  intelligent  denial,  that  in 
application  to  such  a  State  as  Massachusetts  only,  and  as  it  actually  ex- 
ists in  practice  at  the  present  moment,  it  is  a  grand  development;  and 
that  applied  in  its  entireness  to  a  great  nation,  extending  from  the  I 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  it  would  be  as  sublime  and  glorious  as  it  is  free  ' 


86  SERMON. 

and  simple.    If  it  would  have  been  as  quiet  and  tranquil  as  sunshine,  it 
would  also  liave  been  as  potent  and  life-giving. 

Such  was  the  conception  of  the  fathers  of  l^ew  England;  and  that 
conception  they  did  make  an  actual  reaUty  in  every  settlement  which 
they  formed.  And  the  network  of  Congregational  churches,  with 
which  they  covered  over  much  the  larger  portion  of  New  England,  pre- 
sented a  completeness  and  symmetry  of  organization  for  the  religious 
instruction  and  spiritual  nurture  of  a  free  people,  never  attaine'd  to  else* 
where  in  this  country,  and  probably  not  even  in  the  world.  An  imob- 
structed  development  of  their  principles  would  have  covered  our  whole 
territory  with  such  a  chain  of  organizations  from  ocean  to  ocean.  At 
least,  on  every  six  miles  square  of  our  inhabited  territory,  they  would 
have  planted  such  a  society,  not  cared  for  and  governed  by  some  dis- 
tant ecclesiastical  authority,  but  by  its  own  living  forces,  and  efficiently 
caring  for  the  intellectual,  moral,  and  spiritual  necessities  of  the  entire 
population  within  its  limits;  nor  for  these  alone,  but  supplying  the 
physical  necessities  of  all  the  sick,  the  poor,  and  the  afflicted. 

And  such  a  religious  organization  is  essential  to  our  national  life  and 
health.  It  is  one  of  the  great  vital  forces  of  all  free  society.  There 
can  be  no  better  future,  no  millennium,  either  political  or  religious,  with- 
out it.  We  do  but  grievously  deceive  ourselves  if  we  imagine  a  sub- 
lime superstructure  of  freedom  can  be  reared  up,  covering  a  continent, 
and  enduring  for  ages,  if  this  element  is  wanting.  Some  men  among 
us  glory  in  the  superiority  of  this  generation  over  our  simple-minded 
fathers.    But  we  are  sadly  faUen  from  the  grace  of  such  an  organiza- 

'  tion  for  the  religious  culture  of  the  people;  and  it  is  a  grievous  falL 

I  Many  of  the  stars  are  fallen  even  from  the  sky  of  Kew  England, 

I  .  V  and  no  other  luminaries  have  taken  their  places;  and  many  others 

ioV'^/l*^®  sadly  dimmed  in  their  luster  and  are  reeling  from  their  orbits. 
iL  'f        I  In  most  of  the  country  which  lies  west  and  south  of  the  Hudson,  we 

"1^  l^iave  abandoned  the  conception  itself,  as  impracticable  and  impos- 
i'^^-*/  Isible.  An  eminent  divine  of  one  of  the  Middle  States,  alike  well 
known  for  his  fervid  eloquence  and  his  burning  zeal  for  the  Chris- 
tian cause,  who  thought  I  loved  New  England  better  than  I  ought, 
once  sent  this  message  to  me  in  my  distant  home  in  the  West:  "  Tell 
Mr.  S.  he  can  not  make  Kew  England  in  the  West."  Alas  I  thus  far 
it  is  true;  and  it  is  this  very  element  of  New  England  which  we  have 
been  unable  to  transplant  But  I  have  not  ceased,  and  shall  not  cease, 
to  try,  till  I  despair  of  my  country  and  the  Church  of  God. 

It  would  be  greatly  to  the  purpose  of  the  present  occasion  to  exhibit 
an  exhaustive  view  of  the  causes  which  have  prevented  the  realization 
of  this  simple  but  grand  conception  west  and  south  of  the  Hudson. 
The  time,  however,  which  can  be  allotted  to  this  discourse  would  be 
entirely  insufficient  for  such  a  presentation.  But  there  are  four  of  these 
causes  which  seem  to  me  imperatively  to  demand  the  consideration  of 
the  National  Council.    They  are,  — 

1.  Want  of  homogeneity  in  our  population. 

2.  Negro  slavery. 


J 


BjEBMON.  87 

8.  Undue  reliance  on  temporary,  superficial,  and  inorganic  efforts  for 
home  evangelization;  and, 

4.  Want  of  sufficient  tenacity  in  adhering  to  our  own  x>olity. 

In  naming  the  first  of  these,  want  of  homogeneity  in  our  popula- 
tion, I  do  not  chiefly  refer  to  the  fact  that  everywhere  there  is  a  portion, 
and  in  some  communities  a  very  large  portion,  of  the  population,  who 
are  not  believers  in  the  gospel,  who  are  either  indifferent  or  hostile  to 
that  faith  which  is  the  basis  of  all  living  and  permanent  church  organ- 
izations. However  deeply  we  must  deplore  this  fact,  this  unbelieving 
portion  of  the  population  is  not  numerous  enough  to  throw  any  insu- 
perable obstacles  in  the  way  of  a  ubiquitous  organization  of  the  church 
on  Congregational  principles.  It  rarely  or  never  occurs  in  any  Ameri- 
can community,  that,  if  the  gospel  is  preached  in  its  purity,  such  multi- 
tudes will  not  embrace  it  in  the  love  of  it,  as  to  render  the  organization 
and  sustentation  of  a  Christian  Church  easy.  And  this  remains  true, 
after  we  have  made  ample  allowance  for  those  forms  of  semi-Christian 
belief  and  worship  which  reject  that  gospel  which  we  have  received. 
That  gospel  which  consists  in  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in  our 
XiOrd  Jesus  Christ,  will  still  flnd  adherents,  who  will  be  both  able  and 
willing  to  sustain  an  organized  church  with  all  its  ordinances.  At  least, 
within  the  circle  of  my  observation,  this  has  rarely,  if  ever,  failed  to  be 
true.  Aid  they  might  need,  while  struggling  with  the  first  difficulties  of 
a  new  settlement  But  when  these  were  a  little  over,  I  have  seldom  or 
never  known  a  community  in  which  there  was  not  enough  of  earnest  and 
devout  Christians  to  sustain  the  institutions  of  social  religion,  if  they 
were  united  in  their  endeavors;  or,  at  least,  in  which,  if  the  gospel  were 
for  a  little  time  faithMly  preached,  it  would  not  win  converts,  and  make 
the  problem  of  the  church  easy.  There  are  few  communities,  East  or 
West,  in  which  a  Christian  teacher'may  not  preach  as  Paul  did  at  Cor- 
inth, with  the  assurance  that  the  Lord  "  has  much  people  "  there. 

But  the  heterogeneousness  of  which  I  speak  is  of  another  kind.  Al- 
most everywhere  west  and  south  of  the  Hudson,  the  descendants  of 
New  England  have  met  a  religious  population,  holding,  in  a  greater  or 
less  degree  of  purity  and  simplicity,  the  same  religious  faith  as  them- 
selves, who  yet  are  not  willing  to  accept  their  conception  of  the  Church. 
Everywhere  beyond  the  western  boimdary  of  New  England,  they  meet 
not  only  the  divisions  which  have  arisen  among  Independents  on  the 
mode  ahd  subjects  of  baptism,  but,  in  its  almost  endlessly  multiplied 
modifications,  the  Fresbyterianism  of  Geneva,  Holland,  and  Scotland, 
and  the  various  offshoots  of  the  modified  Episcopacy  of  the  Wesleys. 
The  inevitable  consequence  is,  a  conflict  of  rival  conceptions  of  the 
church,  which  renders  impossible  the  construction  of  any  such  system 
of  religious  organization  as  the  Congregational  conception  of  the  church 
has  produced  in  New  England.  It  is  not  only  true  that  no  one  of  these 
Christian  denominations  is  able  to  construct  a  ubiquitous  system  for  the 
instruction  of  the  people  in  the  things  of  God,  but  that  their  mutual 
rivalries  render  it  impossible  that  such  a  system  should  exist,  either  by 
tiie  efforts  of  any  particular  denomination,  or  of  aU  together.    This  is 


[^^/ 


88  SERMON. 

not  a  random  assertion,  but  it  is  capable  of  demonstration;  and  if  true, 
it  is  surely  worthy  of  the  most  serious  consideration,  not  only  of  the 
Congregational  churches,  but  of  all  men  of  every  denomination  that 
love  our  country  and  the  kingdom  of  God. 

In  cities  and  large  towns,  all  the  different  religious  denominations 
that  exist  in  our  country  may  be  represented  by  religious  organizations, 
embodying  each  its  own  conception  of  the  church;  and  in  this  way 
provision  may  be  made,  in  some  sort,  for  the  religious  instruction  of 
the  population.  But  it  is  quite  essential  to  the  great  social  experiment 
which  we  are  trying  on  a  scale  so  gigantic,  that  our  rural  civilization 
should  attain  to  a  completeness  never  known  in  any  other  land.  The 
means  of  intellectual,  moral,  and  religious  culture  must  not  be  shut  up 
in  cities:  they  must  be  carried  to  every  square  mile  of  our  territory,  and 
brought  within  easy  reach  of  every  human  habitation.  Every  six  miles 
square  of  the  entire  habitable  surface  of  our  country  must  contain  such 
permanent  and  effective  institutions  for  the  instruction  of  the  people,  and 
the  whole  people,  that  the  man  who  has  never  traveled  beyond  the  limits 
of  his  own  native  township  may  yet  have  a  noble  education,  and  be  a 
truly  cultivated  and  civilized  being,  the  product  of  all  the  centuries  that 
are  past  In  order  to  this,  I  need  not  prove  to  this  audience  that  it  is 
indispensable  that  the  Christian  sanctuary  shall  be  built  there,  and  that 
on  each  successive  Lord's  day  the  assembled  people  shall  feel  the  influ- 
ence of  social  worship,  and  of  the  clear,  lucid,  and  earnest  exhibition  of 
evangelical  truth. 

What  I  affirm  is,  that  the  heterogeneousness  of  our  population,  in  the 
sense  in  which  I  have  defined  it,  renders  it  impossible  to  effect  any 
such  religious  organization;  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  vast  regions  and 
multitudinous  populations  are  by  it  doomed  to  religious  destitution  and  a 
moral  desolation,  like  some  great  Sahara,  with  only  here  and  there  a 
blooming  oasis. 

Subtracting  from  the  sum  total  of  our  population  the  population  of 
our  cities  and  large  towns  where  religious  institutions  can  be  main- 
tained in  some  sort,  in  spite  of  the  causes  of  which  I  am  speaking,  the  re- 
mainder of  course  will  be  our  rural  population;  and  it  wiU  not  be  found 
to  exceed  some  twenty-eight  to  the  square  mile,  or  about  one  thousand 
souls  to  each  township  of  six  miles  square.  Let  us  then  bear  in  mind, 
that  in  each  of  these  townships  will  be  found  the  usual  amount  of  indif- 
ference to  religion,  and  misbelief  and  unbelief,  and  that  all  this  must  be  ' 
coimted  out,  in  estimating  the  capability  of  the  township  to  sustain  so- 
cial religion.  After  then  subtracting  from  the  one  thousand  souls  that 
inhabit  the  township  all  persons  of  this  character,  the  remainder  can  not 
be  presumed  to  exceed  six  or  seven  hundred,  of  all  ages,  from  the  cradle 
to  the  grave,  and  of  both  sexes.  If  these  were  united,  you  could  not 
expect  of  them  more  than  that  they  would  be  able  to  sustain  one 
church  with  energy  and  efllciency.  What  then  can  we  hope  for,  if  they 
are  to  be  divided  between  Presbyterians,  in  all  their  diversities  of  Dutch, 
Scotch,  and  American  origin;  Wesleyan  Episcopacy,  in  all  its  modifica- 
tions; and  Independency,  with  the  divisions  which  have  arisen  respect- 


SEBMOX.  89 

ing  the  mode  and  subjects  of  baptism  ?  What  but  the  impossibility  of 
Bustaining  any  religious  organization  whatever  ? 

And  yet  what  I  have  supposed  is  but  the  stern  and  terrible  fact  over 
vast  districts  of  our  territory;  and  the  result  is  religious  destitution  and 
religious  anarchy,  from  which  we  can  not  only  discern  no  deliverance  in 
the  immediate  fiiture,  but  we  do  also  clearly  see,  that,  in  the  present  line 
of  things,  deliverance  is  impossible  j  that  the  evil  must  wax  worse  and 
worse  with  each  successive  generation  for  ever.  Sects  will  multiply  and 
unbelievers  will  multiply,  and  the  house  of  David  will  wax  weaker  and 
weaker.  We  might  as  well  hope  that  the  barrenness  of  the  Arabian 
desert  will  be  healed,  while  yet  the  clouds  refuse  to  pour  their  rain 
upon  it  Beligious  men  of  New  England  birth  and  education  have  im- 
pressed upon  the  very  substance  of  their  souls  the  conception  of  a  relig- 
ious organization  of  society,  which  will  bring  the  influence  of  a  regular 
Christian  sanctuary  within  easy  reach  of  every  dweUer  on  the  soil. 
And  they  know  well  that  by  such  an  arrangement  only  can  the  educa- 
tion of  the  people  be  provided  for.  And  I  thank  God,  that,  in  the  hope 
of  realizing  this  noble  conception,  they  will,  if  need  be,  pour  out  their 
money  like  water,  in  sustaining  home  missionary  societies,  in  founding 
schools  and  colleges,  and  in  educating  young  men  for  the  Christian  min- 
istry; and  they  will  give  their  own  sons  and  daughters  to  this  work  in 
a  spirit  of  as  true  heroism  as  ever  poured  out  life  in  the  defence  of  lib- 
erty, or  endured  martyrdom  for  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  And  I  shall 
never  cease  to  thank  God  that  it  is  so. 

But  we  are  in  duty  bound  to  look  the  stem  facts  of  the  case  full  in 
the  face;  and,  if  we  do  so,  we  shall  acknowledge  and  feel  to  our  heart's 
center,  that  obstacles  at  present  exist  over  the  whole  West  and  South, 
which  render  the  realization  of  the  noble  conception  which  inspires  this 
glorious  Christian  heroism  as  impossible  as  to  cover  the  ice-fields  of  the 
polar  circle  with  the  luxuriant  vegetation  of  the  tropics. 

It  is  often  asserted,  and  seldom  or  never  contradicted,  that  this  want 
of  homogeneity  of  which  I  speak  is  the  inevitable  result  of  religious 
freedom,  acting  through  the  permanent  laws  of  the  human  mind.  If 
that  is  so,  the  prospects  of  our  country  for  a  high  religious  civilization 
are  gloomy  enough.  But  I  thank  God,  the  assertion,  often  as  it  is  made, 
is  made  gratuitously.  Nobody  has,  so  far  as  I  know,  ever  proved  it; 
and  to  me  it  seems  not  only  unproved,  but  most  clearly  untrue.  The 
whole  history  of  this  country,  from  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  until  now, 
furnishes  no  proof,  or  ground  of  suspicion,  that  religious  men,  in  the  full 
enjoyment  of  religious  liberty,  would  ever  have  invented  any  other 
church  polity  than  independency.  I  know  not  that  any  centralized  sys- 
tem of  church  government  ever  originated  in  this  country,  or  any  other 
country  enjoying  full  religious  liberty.  Our  Presbyterianism  all  sprung 
from  the  State  churches  of  Geneva,  Holland,  and  Scotland.  It  was  orig- 
inally constructed  as  an  ecclesiastico-political  system,  through  which  a 
State  church  could  exert  its  power  of  control  over  all  the  religious  in- 
terests of  a  nation.  Organization  did  not  begin  with  the  people  and 
grow  up  into  the  General  Assembly,  but  with  the  General  Assembly, 


40  SERMON. 

and  extended  its  radii  of  administration  downwards  to  the  church  ses* 
sions.  If  any  one  doubts  this,  I  commend  to  his  especial  study  the  his« 
tory  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  and  would  especially  recommend  as  a 
text-book  the  work  of  that  stanch  Presbjrterian,  Mr.  Hetheringtoa. 
Presbyterianism  has  greatly  multiplied  its  sects  in  this  country.  But 
it  has  been  only  by  subdivisions  of  itself,  of  which  it  has  an  unlimited 
capacity.  They  have  all  arisen  from  the  attempt  to  carry  out  its  prin- 
ciples in  an  atmosphere  of  freedom.  But  the  system  itself,  freedom  nev- 
er generated  in  any  country,  and  there  is  no  proof  that  it  could.  With 
no  propriety  can  it  be  claimed  as  any  necessary  product  of  a  religious 
liberty,  however  numerous  its  offshoots  may  be  in  a  free  atmosphere. 

There  is  just  as  little  reason  to  believe  that  the  Wesleyan  polity  could 
have  originated  from  a  condition  of  perfect  religious  liberty.  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's aim  certainly  was  to  organize  an  army  of  brave  soldiers  for  Christ, 
and  so  to  command  it  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  as  to  secure  its  eflSciency. 
But  the  principles  of  organization  by  which  that  command  was  to  be 
exercised  were  derived  from  the  Episcopal  hierarchy  of  the  church  of 
England,  which  he  never  ceased  to  love  and  cherish.  The  seminal  prin- 
ciple of  the  system  is  not  that  of  the  people  propagating  that  gospel 
which  they  have  received,  but  that  of  the  rulers  converting  and  govern- 
ing the  people  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

I  am  free  to  affirm,  that  to  begin  with  a  free,  self-governing  Christian 
people,  and  develop  from  it  either  the  Wesleyan  or  the  Presbyterian 
polity,  seems  to  me  as  impossible  as  to  create  an  aristocracy  by  the  free 
votes  of  democrats.  Give  us  nothing  but  liberty  and  Christianity  to  be- 
gin with,  and  if  we  ever  have  any  ecclesiastical  centralization,  it  mu»t 
be  imported  ftom  some  other  clime. 

As  to  the  Papal  and  Episcopal  systems  of  government,  the  case  is  still 
plainer.  If  we  can  find  them  taught  in  the  inspired  Word,  of  course  we 
can  account  for  their  existence.  But,  as  most  of  us  are  unable  to  see 
that  the  Holy  Scriptures  lend  them  any  support,  we  can  only  recognize 
them  as  offshoots  from  the  civil  and  military  systems  of  imperial  Borne 
and  the  middle  ages,  transplanted  to  this  land  of  freedom,  and  here  en- 
deavoring, with  what  success  time  must  determine,  to  maintain  them- 
selves in  the  midst  of  all  the  forces  of  universal  and  absolute  religious 
liberty. 

The  assertion,  then,  that  the  heterogeneous  character  of  our  popula- 
tion is  the  inevitable  result  of  our  perfect  religious  liberty,  is  without 
any  foundation  at  all.  The  conflicting  systems  by  which  our  population 
is  divided  and  distracted  are,  for  the  most  part,  not  the  products  of 
religious  liberty,  but  of  the  church  and  state  systems  of  Europe,  trans- 
planted to  American  soil,  and  here  trying  the  very  interesting  experi- 
ment, whether  their  existence  and  their  power  can  be  propagated  in  the 
midst  of  the  absolute  religious  liberty  of  the  United  States.  If,  in  the 
all-wise  providence  of  God,  they  are  destined  to  succeed  in  this  great 
ecclesiastical  experiment  of  the  nineteenth  century,  then  must  every 
system  of  effort  for  establishing  a  symmetrical  and  efficient  system  for 
the  religious  instruction  of  the  whole  people  necessarily  be  a  failure. 


8EBM0N.  41 

The  whole  history  of  the  church,  from  the  great  Bchism  of  the  Eastern 
and  Western  churches  to  the  last  disruption  of  American  Presbyterian- 
ism,  shows,  with  the  certainty  of  demonstration,  that  centralized  church 
governments,  whenever  they  are  liberated  from  state  control,  and  are 
free  to  act  out  their  own  nature,  will  always  indefinitely  multiply  rival 
church  governments  and  sects  by  their  own  internal  convulsions.  They 
all  exhibit  the  phenomenon  of  a  government  claiming  and  exercising  the 
right  to  command,  without  the  power  to  compel  obedience.  They  are 
all  perpetually  in  the  condition  in  which  our  Federal  Government  would 
have  been,  if  the  doctrine  of  the  democratic  party  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  Bebellion  had  prevailed,  that  the  Federal  Government  has  no  right 
to  coerce  a  State.  We  should  now  have  had  as  many  nations  as  States. 
Every  centralized  church  government  acts  under  these  impossible  con- 
ditions, and  consequently  is  liable  to  be  divided  into  two  rival  govern- 
ments, whenever  the  majority  or  the  governing  power  commands  what 
any  portion  of  the  membership  are  unwilling  to  obey.  It  is  therefore 
true,  that,  as  things  now  are,  we  not  only  have  so  great  a  multiplication 
of  rival  ecclesiastical  powers  as  to  render  efficient  religious  organization 
impossible,  but  also  the  certainty  of  an  indefinite  increase  of  their  num- 
ber in  the  future. 

Want  of  homogeneity  in  our  population  is,  then,  one  potent  cause 
which  has  hindered,  and  is  hindering,  such  a  religious  organization  oi 
our  whole  country  as  would  have  resulted  from  the  development  of  the 
ideas  of  our  Kew  England  fathers.  And  it  is  an  obstacle  of  giant  mag- 
nitude with  which  we  have  still  to  contend. 

2.  Another  fatal  hinderance  to  the  realization  of  the  great  conception 
of  our  New-England  fathers  has  ever  been  negro  slavery.  On  this  point 
I  need  not  detain  you  long,  for  the  principles  of  the  case  are  too  familiar 
to  require  much  illustration.  Slavery  degrades  one  half  the  population 
to  the  condition  of  beasts  of  burden,  and  denies  them  any  place  in  society 
as  independent  and  personally  responsible  human  beings.  Our  concep- 
tion of  the  church,  on  the  contrary,  is  founded  on  the  equal  brother- 
hood of  the  human  race.  It  can  not  be  supposed  that  the  proud  and 
lordly  master  can  ever  admit  his  slave  to  equality  in  church  relations, 
and  recognize  his  independent  manhood  as  a  Christian  brother.  A 
higher  power  may  admit  both  to  the  church,  and  govern  both;  but  the 
master  will  never  admit  the  slave  to  an  equal  share  with  himself  in  the 
government  of  the  church,  on  principles  of  democratic  equality.  If 
churches  of  our  polity  exist  in  such  circumstances,  their  membership 
must  be  confined  either  to  the  enslaving  or  to  the  enslaved  class.  Among 
the  latter,  in  the  Baptist  connection,  they  have  existed  in  great  num- 
bers. But  driven  out  from  all  the  fountains  of  knowledge,  and  deprived 
day  by  day  of  the  earnings  of  their  own  hands,  what  could  these  poor 
people  do  for  the  spiritual  enlightenment  of  the  communities  imder 
whose  oppressions  they  and  their  fathers  before  them  lived  and 
groaned  ? 

Nor  could  the  principles  of  our  polity  develop  themselves  with  any 
better  effect  in  the  enslaving  class.    The  white  population  of  the  slav&- 


42  SERMON, 

holding  States  has  always  been  divided  into  two  classes,  which  are  sep- 
arated by  an  immense  distance  from  each  other,  —  the  wealthy  and  aris- 
tocratic slave-holders,  and  the  poor  white  men,  reduced,  both  in  respect 
to  property  and  intelligence,  to  a  position  scarcely  less  wretched  than 
that  of  the  slave  himself;  and  this  latter  much  the  more  numerous  class. 
A  population  thus  degraded,  and  reduced  to  ignorance  and  barbarism, 
would  furnish  but  poor  materials  out  of  which  to  construct  such  Con- 
gregational churches  as  those  which  the  fathers  planted  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  New  England.  Many  of  this  class  have  been  organized  into 
Baptist  churches,  and  much  has  thus  been  achieved  for  their  spiritual 
benefit  But  little  could  be  hoped  from  them  in  the  way  of  a  religious 
organization  to  supply  the  moral  wants  of  a  great  people.  Poverty 
and  ignorance  have  been  their  leading  characteristics,  accompanied,  of 
course,  by  a  degrading  servility  to  the  proud  and  selfish  aristocracy  that 
is  above  them. 

The  wealthy  slave-holding  class,  on  the  other  hand,  could  not  be  ex- 
pected to  choose  a  system  of  church  government  founded  on  the  idea  of 
an  equal  Christian  brotherhood.  It  is  impossible  that  such  a  polity  as 
ours  should  be  successfully  developed,  in  a  community  thus  divided  by 
artificial  and  unjust  legislation,  into  classes  so  widely  removed  from  each 
other.  When  English  aristocrats  learn  to  love  and  cherish  English  Inde- 
pendency, you  may  expect  our  American  slave-holding  aristocrats  to  love 
and  cherish  the  Congregationalism  of  Kew  England.  In  both  cases,  the 
Congregational  polity  is  sure  to  be  rejected  with  scorn  and  contempt.  We 
need,  therefore,  feel  no  surprise  that  our  polity  has  no  existence  among 
the  intelligent  and  wealthy  classes  of  the  South,  and  that  the  Congrega- 
tional churches  which  once  existed  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  have 
long  since  been  swallowed  up  in  those  organizations  in  which  the  Chris- 
tian brotherhood  is  less  distinctly  recognized.  It  may  therefore  be  as- 
sumed, that,  while  slavery  continued  in  the  South,  our  polity  was  possi- 
ble there  only  among  the  slaves  and  the  most  degraded  and  ignorant  of 
the  white  population;  and  that  there  it  would  be  quite  powerless  to  pro- 
vide a  system  of  religious  instruction  for  a  great,  free,  and  enlightened 
people. 

And  it  should  be  remarked,  that  this  obstacle  to  the. progress  of  our 
polity  has  been  felt  much  beyond  the  limits  of  the  slave-holding  States. 
Slavery  has  attacked,  with  terrible  efiect,  that  doctrine  of  fraternal 
equality  which  the  gospel  teaches,  not  only  in  the  slave-holding  States, 
but  in  all  parts  of  our  country,  and  especially  in  those  portions  of  it 
to  which  emigrants  from  the  South  have  gone  in  large  numbers.  It  has 
fearfully  assailed  the  fundamental  principle  of  our  free  institutions, 
both  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  and,  if  God  had  not  come  to  our  aid  in  the 
destruction  of  slavery,  would  ere  lorfg  have  subverted  the  republic  it- 
selfl  And  the  weakening  of  this  principle  shows  itself  earlier  and  more 
strikingly  in  the  church  than  in  the  state.  Thousands,  who  would  not 
acknowledge  themselves  aristocrats,  would  feel  a  decided  aversion  to 
Joining  a  church  which  was  governed  by  the  vote  of  the  majority,  and 
ia  which  the  vote  of  a  poor  man  would  be  worth  as  much  as  their  own. 


SEBAfON.  43 

And  that  the  growth  of  this  aristocratic  spirit  has  been  greatly  fostered 
and  extended  by  the  influence  of  a  slave-holding  aristocracy  on  our 
society,  and  that  tastes  have  thus  been  generated  which  incline  strongly 
to  the  less  democratic  forms  of  church  polity,  I  cannot  for  a  moment 
doubt.  He  who  has  watched  the  causes  which,  for  the  last  thirty  years, 
have  resisted  the  progress  of  our  x>olity  in  the  Korth-west,  will  not  need 
proof  of  this  proposition. 

3.  Another  obstacle  which  has  greatly  hindered  our  organic  work  is  / 

undue  reliance  on  modes  of  effort  which  are  inorgaific,  and  necessarily 
temporary  and  superficial. 

I  must  tell  you  frankly,  fathers  and  brethren;  this  has  been  a  very 
painful  subject  to  many  of  your  frontier  laborers  during  the  last  thirty 
years.  We  have  seen  great,  and  in  their  design  truly  Christian,  socie- 
ties, having  the  ear  of  all  our  churches,  and  holding  the  very  highest 
place  in  their  regard,  founding  their  plea  for  large  pecuniary  contribu- 
tions upon  the  assumption,  that  the  founding  of  the  church,  the  sustain- 
ing of  an  enlightened  Christian  ministry,  the  rearing-up  of  the  perma^ 
nent  institutions  of  Christian  learning,  is  too  slow  a  process;  that  the 
results  are  too  remote;  that  these  efforts  can  not  reach  the  people,  and 
that,  therefore,  other  and  speedier  methods  must  be  adopted.  You  must 
send  the  colporter  with  his  Bibles,  his  tracts,  and  Christian  bookstand  thus 
carry  the  word  of  life  to  the  people  at  their  own  homes.  And  this  logic 
has  been  accepted, — accepted  against  the  solemn  and  clearly  uttered 
protest  of  the  very  men  whom  you  have  sent  there  to  build  up  the  insti- 
tutions of  a  Christian  civilization  on  the  frontier;  and  not  only  accepted, 
but  most  vigorously  acted  upon.  While  it  has  been  a  matter  of  the 
greatest  difficulty  to  get  a  few  hundred  dollars  to  aid  a  feeble  new  con- 
gregation in  building  a  house  of  worship;  while  heroic  home  missiona- 
ries, and  their  still  more  heroic  wives,  have  been  called  to  endure  the 
severest  privations  and  the  greatest  and  most  distressing  hinderances  in 
their  work;  while  fields  the  most  inviting  of  organic  missionary  enterprise 
could  not  be  entered  for  the  want  of  means;  and  while  those  colleges  which 
your  far-seeing  liberality  has  founded  were  left  so  feeble  and  inade- 
.  quately  provided  with  the  needful  resources  as  often  to  fill  the  hearts 
of  those  who  labored  in  them  with  shame  and  deep  despondency,^- 
while  all  these  things  and  more  were  going  on  before  our  eyes,  on  those 
very  same  fields,  funds  derived  from  the  sacred  treasury  of  Christian 
benevolence  were  expended  by  tens  of  thousands  in  the  circulation  of 
tracts  and  printed  volumes,  which  few  cared  to  read,  and  multitudes 
could  not  read  if  they  would.  I  should  not  be  surprised  to  learn,  that 
for  many  successive  years  inore  money  was  annually  expended  in  nii- 
noLs,  in  peddling  religious  books,  than  the  entire  cost  of  sustaining  all 
the  colleges  which  Christian  liberality  has  foimded  there. 

I  do  not  say  that  all  this  has  done  no  good.    But  I  do  say,  that,  hav- 

^  ing  been  constantly  for  more  than  thirty-five  years  in  the  heart  of  the 

great  North-west,  I  have  never  had  but  one  view  of  it.    It  has  always 

seemed  to  me  very  bad  economy.    As  I  have  looked  at  these  things,  I 

have  never  doubted  that  the  children  of  this  world  are  in  very  deed,  in 


I! 


44  SERMON.  ( 

their  generation,  wiser  than  the  children  of  light.  To  found  institutions 
as  the  vital  organs  of  Christian  society  is  our  first  business,  and  let  us 
never  be  cheated  into  forgetting  it  And  there  is  no  substitute  for 
them,  any  more  than  for  eyes  ana  ears  and  lungs  in  the  body.  Let  ua 
build  such  institutions  if  we  do  nothing  else.  And  let  us  put  our  books 
and  our  tracts  and  our  Sunday-school  libraries  into  the  hands  of  our 
missionaries,  as  their  munitions  of  moral  warfare. 

And  I  must  ask  any  man,  well  informed  and  of  sound  judgment,  what, 
beyond  the  permanent  institutions  we  have  founded,  we  have  to  show 
for  the  evangelical  labors  of  the  last  thirty-five  years  in  the  North- 
west. I  would  ask  him*  too,  if  we  had,  in  the  respects  now  indicated, 
used  our  money  more  wisely,  these  results  might  not  have  been  far 
more  abundant  than  they  are;  whether,  if  we  had  used  the  fands  we 
have  spent  in  forcing  the  circulation  of  printed  books,  in  founding  and 
building  up  our  churches  and  our  colleges,  our  churches  might  not  have 
been  far  stronger  and  more  numerous;  and  whether  our  colleges  might 
not  have  been  far  nearer  than  they  are  to  the  attainment  of  the  great 
destiny  intended  by  their  founders.  For  my  part,  I  have  no  doubt 
of  it 

Let  us  learn  by  experience;  let  us  put  these  more  superficial  and 
temporary  agencies  in  their  proper  place,  and  address  ourselves  to  our 
great  organic  work,  and  determine  to  do  that,  whatever  else  we  neglect, 
and  to  trust  in  God  that  the  seed  we  thus  sow  shall  yield  a  glorious 
harvest  for  millions  yet  unborn.  If  we  could  learn  this  lesson,  one  of 
the  greatest  obstacles  with  which  we  contend  would  be  overcome. 
r  4.  The  only  remaining  obstacle  of  which  I  shall  speak  is  the  want  of 
yy  sufficient  tenacity  in  adhering  to  our  principles. 

I  do  not  mean  that  Congregationalists  are  tired  of  their  mode  of  gor- 
emment,  and  desirous  to  change  it  for  another.  This  is  far  from  being 
true.  As  a  general  rule,  and  in  its  ordinary  and  normal  working,  our 
system  in  a  good  degree  satisfies  the  taste  of  an  intelligent,  active- 
minded  people,  both  for  tranquillity  and  freedom.  There  is  movement 
enough  to  give  consciousness  of  life ;  freedom  enough  to  give  opportuni- 
ty for  individual  development;  and  tranquillity  enough  to  content  even 
quiet  and  conservative  spirits.  In  all  these  important  respects,  the  his- 
tory of  the  system  gives  abundant  indications  of  a  capability  of  enduring 
for  ever. 

But  it  has  been  the  glory  of  our  churches,  that  under  their  influence 
men  have  always  learned  to  put  the  gospel  immecusurably  higher  in 
regard  and  honor  than  any  mere  forms  and  ceremonies  and  govern- 
ments. And  may  they  retain  that  glory  for  ever!  And  yet  out  of  this 
very  characteristic  has  grown  one  of  the  chief  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
our  realizing  that  grand  organic  conception  with  which  our  fathers  sub* 
dued  the  wilderness. 

As  the  men  of  New  England  emigrate  westward,  they  would  always, 
^if  left  to  their  own  tastes  and  wishes,  organize  the  church  after  the  pat- 
/     tern  of  the  fathers.    And  the  sons  of  New  England  have  pitched  their 
tents  toward  the  setting  sun  in  sufficient  numbers,  and  with  sufficient 


Wi 


SERMON.  46 

preponderence  of  intellectnal  and  moral  weight,  to  have  exerted,  if  they 
had  adhered  to  their  own  polity,  an  irresistible  formatiye  influence  on  the 
religious  institutions  of  our  country,  from  the  Hudson  to  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific  And  I  do  not  see  how  an  enlightened,  thoughtful  New- 
Englander,  acquainted  with  what  has  happened  and  is  happening  in  our 
country,  can  help  regretting  that  they  did  not  do  it.  But  the  past  is 
unalterable,  and  regret  is  useless.  The  reason  why  they  did  not  do  it  is 
obvious.  They  held,  as  a  sacred  article  of  their  faith,  that  the  gospel  is 
primary,  and  goyemment  secondary.  They  met  other  streams  of  emi- 
gration, not  of  New  England,  holding  the  same  precious  faith  with 
themselves,  but  tenacious  of  quite  another  system  of  polity.  For  the 
Bake  of  securing  the  co-operation  of  these  good  men  in  planting  the 
church  in  the  wilderness,  they  were  induced,  sometimes  at  a  single  step, 
sometimes  by  little  and  little,  to  surrender  the  polity  of  their  fathers, 
and  accept  that  of  Calvin  and  Knox  in  its  stead.  They  did  not  prefer 
the  change;  it  cost  them  a  struggle;  but,  for  the  sake  of  unity  and  co-op- 
eration, they  thought  it  best.  And  so  the  fathers  of  2^ew  England 
taught  their  emigrant  sons,  and  it  came  to  be  understood,  that  the  dif» 
ference  between  the  Congregationalism  of  John  Hobinson,  and  the  y^\-i 
Presbyterianism  of  John  Knox,  was  a  mere  difference  of  longitude;  •^ 
that  to  cross  the  Hudson  would  make  a  good  Presbyterian  of  any  Con- 
gregationalist  Worse  than  this;  when,  a  little  more  than  thirty  years 
ago,  young  men  who  went  out  from  you  to  plant  the  gospel  on  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi,  began  to  feel  a  decided  longing  for  the  polity 
of  the  Mayflower,  and  to  organize  churches  on  that  platform,  they  were  /  f  '■, 
met  by  their  fathers  and  brothers  here  with  a  frown,  and  often  treated  \t  ^\ 
by  the  leading  men  of  Xew  England  as  men  wanting  in  sober  sense  and 
sound  judgment.  I  am  uttering  the  experience  of  more  than  one  man 
m  this  audience.  That  state  of  things  has,  thank  God,  passed  away, 
never,  we  trust,  to  return. 

But  the  evil  is  not  yet  cured;  or,  if  I  may  not  assume  that  it  is  an 
evil,  this  obstruction  to  the  progress  of  our  church  principles,  in  the 
regions  which  lie  toward  the  going-down  of  the  sim,  is  not  yet  re- 
moved. Need  I  say,  that  to  this  hour  Presbyterianism  grows  more 
from  Congregational  roots  than  from  its  own?  that  multitudes  of  the 
most  gifted  men  whom  the  New  England  churches  rear  for  the  Chris- 
tian ministry  treat  this  question  of  polity  as  one  involving  no  principle 
at  all?  —  do  not  hesitate  a  moment  to  accept  the  highest  positions  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  to  become  its  standard-bearers  ^'  and  cham- 
pions for  the  spread  of  its  most  distinctive  and  denominational  peculiar- 
ities, in  advance  of  all  others  "  ?  I  need  not  say  that  this  same  facility 
of  abandoning  our  polity  is  constantly  exhibited  by  our  emigrant  laity, 
as  well  as  by  our  ministry.  New  England  men,  making  their  homes  in 
the  West,  will,  without  hesitation,  turn  their  backs  on  Congregational 
churches  that  need  their  help,  to  unite  themselves  with  Presbyterian 
churches,  for  no  higher  motive  than  to  secure  customers  to  their  busi- 
,  ix  to  attain  to  a  higher  social  position. 

The  progress  of  the  Congregational  polity  m  the  North-west  daring 


46  SERMON. 

the  last  twenty-five  years  has  been  truly  wonderful,  unsurpassed  certainly 
by  that  of  any  other  religious  denomination.  But  it  has  all  been  ac- 
complished in  spite  of  the  existence  of  this  obstacle  in  greater  or  less 
degree  over  all  that  field.  It  has  achieved  much,  very  much;  but  for 
this  obstacle,  it  would  have  accomplished  vastly  more.  Many  churches 
which  are  now  weak  would  have  been  strong,  and  many  which  have 
been  absorbed  by  the  centralization  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  would 
have  remained  in  the  simpler  and  freer  polity  of  the  fathers. 

I  can  not  doubt,  that  by  this  process  the  organic  power  of  the  emigra- 
tion from  New  England  has  been  greatly  diminished:  its  power  to 
multiply  churches  where  churches  are  needed;  its  power  to  endow  and 
sustain  schools  and  colleges;  its  power  to  train  up  a  Christian  ministry; 
its  power  to  multiply  and  strengthen  all  the  institutions  of  a  Christian 
civilization;  its  power  to  transplant  whatever  is  precious  in  New  Eng- 
land to  the  West,  and  the  South,  and  the  shores  of  the  Pacific. 

It  is  now  quite  time  I  draw  this  discourse  to  a  conclusion  by  a  brief 
consideration  of  one  great  practical  inquiry:  What  is,  to  the  chui-ches 
represented  in  this  Council,  now  the  line  of  practical  wisdom  and  Chris- 
tian duty? 

1.  We  must  never  abandon  that  grand  conception  of  a  symmetrical  and 
ubiquitous  religious  organization  for  the  moral  and  spiritual  care  and 
culture  of  the  whole  people.  To  abandon  this  is  to  abandon  the  experi- 
ment of  American  liberty  as  a  miserable  failure.  We  can  not,  we  can  not 
succeed  in  this  grandest  social  experiment  of  the  age,  except  through 
the  high  intellectual  and  religious  culture  of  the  whole  people.  Our 
mother  country,  England,  is  governed  by  her  upper  and  middle  classes: 
to  these  classes,  therefore,  she  applies  the  forces  of  a  high  and  noble 
culture,  that  they  may  be  fit  to  govern,  and  leaves  the  lower  classes  in 
a  great  degree  uncared  for.  This  is,  at  least,  consistent.  We  are 
governed  by  the  people,  the  whole  people,  and  therefore  to  the  whole 
people  we  must  apply  all  the  forces  of  intellectual  and  moral  culture, 
that  all  may  be  qualified  to  wield  that  share  in  the  government  which 
the  law  accords  to  them.  Nothing  but  ruin  can  come  of  elevating  the 
masses  to  the  position  of  rulers,  while  we  do  not  so  teach  and  train 
them  as  to  qualify  them  to  rule  well.  And,  in  order  to  this  end,  we 
must  have  a  ubiquitous  rural  civilization,  purified  and  exalted  by  the 
influences  of  free  Christian  worship  and  instruction. 

And  to  conclude  that  a  system  of  perfect  religious  freedom  can  not 
give  us  such  a  religious  organization,  that  it  will  necessarily  produce 
such  a  conflict  of  religious  sects  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  rural 
districts  ever  to  establish  the  permanent  institutions  of  religious  instruc- 
tion and  worship,  is  to  admit  that  the  experiment  of  religious  liberty  is  a 
failure,  and  that  we  must  go  back  to  some  church  and  state  system, 
which  can,  by  the  compulsory  power  of  law,  divide  the  country  into 
parishes,  and  maintain  in  every  one  of  them  the  means  of  religious  as 
well  as  of  secular  instruction.  We  must  solve  this  problem  by  a  free 
system^  or  acknowledge,  in  the  face  of  exultant  Europe,  that  our  Prot- 


SERMON.  47 

estantism  and  our  yoluntaryism  have  signally  failed.  It  ie  the  trial- 
question  of  American  religious  freedom,  whether  by  it  we  can  provide 
for  the  religious  culture  of  our  whole  people.  The  Congregational 
churches  must  not  be  the  first  to  pronounce  this  experiment  a  failure. 
God  forbid! 

2.  TVe  have  a  far  better  prospect  of  successttgongh  ogrnwn  polity  / 
than  through  any  otHer  to  which  we  might  be  induced  tolenct  uur  d)^ 
operation.  He  who  should  adopt  any  form  of  centralized  church  gov- 
ernment, with  the  hope  of  effecting  through  it  a  universal  religious 
organization  for  our  country,  would  certainly  choose  an  instrument  very 
ill  adapted  to  his  ends.  Eival  governments,  each  claiming  jurisdiction 
over  the  whole  territory,  in  face  of  every  other,  may  in  this  way  be  mul-  • 

tiplied  indefinitely,  and  be  brought  into  more  and  more  intense  rivalship 
with  each  other;  and  that  is  all  we  can  expect  from  that  instrument, 
however  vigorously  used.  This  is  about  as  hopeful  for  securing  a  re- 
ligious organization  for  our  coimtry,  as  to  favor  State  rights  and  no 
coercion  was  of  perpetuating  our  national  unity.  It  can  only  aggravate 
the  evil  indefiivitely,  and  drive  us  farther  from  the  end  we  wish  to  reach. 

But  if  we  will,  even  now,  be  true  to  the  polity  of  our  fathers,  there  is 
hope  of  ultimately  attaining  to  complete  success.  The  independency  of 
the  local  church  is,  as  we  have  shown,  a  true  development  of  the  seminal  .  . 
principle  of  our  national  life.  All  centralized  church  government  is  con-  j///  W] 
tradictory  to  it  The  events  of  the  last  five  years  have  taught  us,  as 
with  a  voice  from  heaven,  that  that  principle  is  to  be  developed  in  the 
whole  social  life  of  this  great  nation;  and  that  any  and  all  principles 
which  are  contradictory  to  it  are,  sooner  or  later,  to  be  eradicated 
through  the  agitations  and  convulsions  which  they  themselves  occasion. 
I  affirm,  that  the  principle  of  centralized  church  government  does  con- 
stantly demonstrate  its  opposition  to  the  foundation  principles  of  Ameri- 
can society,  by  the  agitation,  confusion,  and  anarchy  which  it  causes.  In 
this  conflict,  I  think  it  reasonable  to  believe  that  the  principle  itself  will 
sooner  or  later  be  overturned  and  destroyed. 

This  state  of  things  can  not  exist  always.  Men  will  see  at  last  that 
these  evils  must  be  remedied,  or  the  gospel  itself  must  perish,  and  the 
light  of- the  Sun  of  Eighteousness  go  out.  Men  will  cease  at  length  to 
make  labored  apologies  for  the  ceaseless  conflict  of  the  sect  system,  and 
begin  to  look  aroimd  them  fbr  some  platform  on  which  the  whole  church 
of  God  on  earth  can  stand  together,  and  make  war  on  one  another  no 
more.  And  when  they  do  begin  in  earnest  to  inquire  after  such  a  plat- 
form, they  will  flnd  it  in  the  independency  of  local  churches,  built  on  the 
everlasting  foundations  of  the  simple  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus;  each  disciple 
as  an  equal  brother  receiving  every  other,  and  putting  no  yoke  on  his 
neck  which  the  Master  hath  not  imposed. 

I  have  no  wish  to  claim  any  especial  glory  for  New  England.  The  his- 
tory of  New  England  is  not  above  criticism,  and  the  men  of  New  Eng- 
land, I  hope,  are  not  yet  too  wise  to  learn.  But  the  principles  which  found 
their  way  to  these  shores  in  the  cabin  of  the  Mayflower  are  evidently  des- 
tined to  prevail  over  this  continent  from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  to  give  char- 


48  SEBHON. 

• 

acter  to  all  our  social  systems,  both  in  church  and  state.  I  can  see  no 
reason  why  men  who  hold  that  conception  of  the  church,  which  was  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  characteristics  of  that  Pilgrim  band,  should 
despair  of  its  power  to  overspread  the  continent.  That  the  tendency  of 
American  society  is  to  localize  the  government  even  of  the  most  central- 
ized churches,  is  apparent  .to  every  well-informed  man.  Presbyterian- 
ism  can  not  be  the  same  in  America  that  it  is  in  Scotland.  Keither  Pres- 
byterianism  nor  Methodism  can  be  the  same  in  the  presence  of  active  and 
efficient  Congregational  churches,  that  it  is  in  the  absence  of  any  such 
influence.  In  such  circumstances,  their  central  forces  are  always  weak- 
ened, and  their  local  and  individual  forces  strengthened.  Why,  then, 
fihould  we  doubt  that  a  force  which  is  always  active  and  potent,  and 
springs  up  from  the  very  source  of  our  national  life,  will  ultimately  pre- 
vail? In  such  circimistances,  can  we  doubt  for  a  moment  that  indepen- 
dency is  the  fittest  instrument  of  religious  organization  in  this  free  coun- 
try?' 

One  of  the  obstacles  which  has  hitherto  effectually  resisted  our  prog- 
ress over  half  our  territory  has  been  destroyed  by  a  mighty  earthquake 
from  God.  Babylon  the  great  is  fallen.  Negro  slavery  shall  no  longer 
resist  the  organization  of  the  church  on  the  basis  of  the  equality  of  the 
Christian  brotherhood  over  half  our  country.  Another  of  the  four  obsta- 
cles which  I  have  mentioned  will  be  entirely  removed  when  we,  and  all 
the  churches  represented  here,  adhere  to  our  principles  of  ecclesiastical 
freedom  with  a  zeal  corresponding  to  their  preciousness.  The  rivalship 
of  opposing  forms  of  church  governments  is  the  only  serious  one  that  re- 
mains. In  respect  to  this  we  may  reasonably  assume  that  there  is  deliv- 
erance in  the  not  distant  future. 


The  day  of  freedom  dawns  at  length. 
The  Lord's  appointed  .day." 


"We  have  only  to  select  that  one  of  the  conflicting  systems  in  which  all 
men  are  most  likely  to  find  harmony  and  fraternity,  under  the  fuU-orbed 
influence  of  American  freedom,  evangelical  truth,  and  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  adhere  to  it    For  my  part,  I  am  at  no  loss  to  choose. 

3.  We  must  teach  and  defend  the  principles  of  our  polity.  Such  has 
not  been  our  custom.  Some  may  have  done  it;  many  have  neglected  it 
We  have  not  seldom  trained  our  sons  and  the  people  of  our  charges, 
from  infancy  to  gray  hairs,  without  their  ever  once  having  heard  one 
earnest  and  thorough  statement  of  the  reasons  why  they  are,  and  should 
continue  to  be,  Congregationalists.  We  have  even  inculcated  upon  our- 
selves and  our  brethren  the  notion,  that  a  minister  of  the  gospel  can 
hardly  be  worse  employed  than  in  defending  the  ecclesiastical  polity  to 
which,  after  all,  he  thinks  it  his  duty  to  adhere.  And  then  we  are  sur- 
prised and  shocked  that  our  brethren  treat  the  matter  of  church  polity, 
not  as  a  question  of  principle,  but  of  mere  convenience  and  worldly  ad- 
vantage. And  as  things  have  been  over  three-fourths  of  our  territory, 
there  are  far  more  motives  of  convenience  and  worldly  advantage  inclin- 


SERMON.  49 

ing  a  man  tx>  be  a  Presbyterian,  than  a  Congregationalist  There  are 
hundreds  in  this  assembly  who  could  testify  to  the  trath'  of  this  fixnn 
tiieir  own  experience.  If  there  are  reasons  why  we  should  adhere  to 
our  polity  at  all,  the  same  reasons  would  prove  that  our  practice  in 
respect  to  teaching  and  defending  our  system  should  undergo  a  speedy 
and  total  change.  *" 

I  imagine,  however,  I  hear  an  objector  inquiring.  What  I  would  you 
abandon  that  glorious  characteristic  of  all  our  past  history,  that  the  gos- 
I)el  alone  is  primary,  and  all  questions  of  mere  polity,  by  a  great  remove 
from  it,  merely  secondary?  Bishop  Butler  has  very  truly  said,  "It  is 
one  of  the  peculiar  weaknesses  of  human  nature,  when,  upon  the  compar- 
ison of  two  things,  one  is  found  to  be  of  greater  importance  than  the 
other,  to  consider  this  other  as  of  scarce  any  importance  at  all."  I  must 
add  that  it  seems  to  me  that  this  is  pre-eminently  "  the  peculiar  weak-  ^ 
ness  "  of  us  Congregationalists.  We  have  a  polity,  the  glory  of  which  is  j 
that  if  immeasurably  exalts  the  spiritual  truths  and  moral  precepts  of  i 
the  gospel  above  all. questions  of  mere  polity;  and  therefore  we  never 
teach  our  people  the  excellence  of  this  polity  at  all,  or  even  explain  to 
them  its  principles,  but  leave  them  without  any  instruction  on  the  sub- 
ject, to  be  swallowed  up  by  other  polities,  under  the  influence  of  which 
they  will  be  very  sure  to  acquire,  and  transmit  to  their  children  after 
them,  an  intense  spirit  of  proselytism,  which  is  alike  foreign  to  our  his- 
tory and  to  Christianity.  Would  it  not  be  well  to  draw  a  little  of  the 
attention  of  our  people  to  questions  of  polity,  to  guard  them  against  such 
a  danger? 

There  is,  at  the  present  time,  a  tacitly  understood  truce  among  the  vari- 
ous denominations  in  respect  to  the  open  advocacy  of  their  peculiarities 
of  faith  and  order,  especially  the  latter,  entered  into  for  the  sake  of  peace 
and  good  feeling.  We  are  told  that  the  minor  questions  which  divide 
evangelical  Christians  are  not  important  enough  to  justify  the  agitation 
and  the  disturbance  of  good  feeling  and  Christian  charity,  which  might 
result  from  the  open  discussion  of  our  difibrences.  These  differences  are 
assumed  to  be  important  enough  to  justify  our  rending  the  body  of 
Christ  asunder  for  the  sake  of  them;  important  enough  to  justify  us  in 
demanding  for  every  little  community  in  Christendom  at  least  six  church 
organizations,  when  one  only  can  be  supported,  and  thus  entailing  on  the 
whole  Christian  cause,  division  and  weakness  before  its  enemies,  and 
religious  anarchy;  they  are  important  enough  to  justify  Christian  men, 
and,  still  more.  Christian  women,  in  plying  with  unresting  activity  all 
the  arts,  all  the  social  influences,  all  the  motives,  both  religious  and  sec- 
ular, of  the  most  intense  proselytism,  to  build  up  each  his  own  denom- 
ination; but  not  important  enough  to  justify  us  in  a  little  honest  out- 
spoken defence  of  what  we  really  think  to  be  important  truth,  and  clear 
and  fair  refutation  of  what  we  think  to  be  erroneous  and  ii\jurious. 

Indeed,  fathers  and  brethren,  I  have,  in  some  sense,  taken  my  life  in  my 
hand  in  delivering  such  a  discourse  as  this  on  the  present  occasion.  I  am 
in  danger  of  being  thought  to  have  violated  established  inter-denominap 
tional  law,  and  thereby  to  have  criminally  disturbed  the  peace  of  those 

4 


50  BERMOX. 

high  contracting  ecclesiastical  powers  which  at  present  assnme  to  divide 
Protestant  Christendom  among  them.  Kor  need  I  limit  the  statement  to 
Protestant  Christendom.  The  truce,  when  once  fairly  established,  will 
necessarily  embrace  Eomanism  itself.  We  have,  in  recognizing  such  a 
truce  to  the  extent  we  have  recognized  it,  erected  a  false  standard  of 
judgment,  by  which  any  Christian  minister  would  be  sure  to  be  con- 
demned as  a  bigot  and  a  bitter  sectarian,  who  should  truly  represent  to  his 
congregation  the  falsehoods,  the  delusions,  and  the  desx)otism  of  Popery. 
That  great  red  dragon  is  to-day  greatly  protected  from  the  merited  and 
healthful  indignation  and  abhorrence  of  a  tree  Christian  people  by  this 
truce  among  our  Christian  denominations.  We  can  not  agree  not  to  rebuke 
one  another,  without  imposing  restraint  on  ourselves  in  respect  to  rebuk- 
ing other  and  x)erhaps  more  heinous  sinners. 

This  truce  proceeds  upon  the  assumption  that  the  present  divided 
condition  of  Protestant  Christians  is  an  inevitable  result  of  religious 
freedom,  and  destined  to  be  perpetual,  and  that  therefbre  we  must  divide 
up  every  Protestant  community  among  the  existing  powers  ecclesiastical 
as  quietly  as  possible.  The  advocates  of  those  centralized  church  gov- 
ernments, which,  like  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist,  are  not  exclusive, 
generally  not  only  accept  this  state  of  things  as  inevitable,  but  apologize 
for  it  as  desirable  and  beneficial  to  the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom.  I 
am  glad  to  say  that  I  have  met  very  few  Oongregationalists  who  take 
this  view  of  it.  They  generally  deplore  it  as  a  great  and  intolerable  evil. 
If,  however,  we  would  be  truly  prepared  for  our  great  work,  we  must  go 
one  step  farther,  and  believe  that  the  Lord  has  deliverance  for  his  people; 
that  they  are  not  perpetually  to  wander  thus  bewildered  and  confounded; 
that  the  Lord  will  at  last  appear,  and  lead  his  people  over  Jordan  into 
the  promised  land  of  freedom  and  blessed  fellowship.  And,  amid  all  the 
confhsion  of  the  present,  we  must  seek  light  from  God  to  guide  us  in  the 
true  path  by  which  he  will  lead  his  people  to  this  blessed  consummation, 
and  point  out  that  path  to  all  over  whom  we  have  any  influence,  and 
exhort  them  to  pursue  it 

For  myself,  I  must  frankly  declare,  that,  to  me,  the  whole  beauty  and 
preciousness  of  the  Congregational  system  lies  in  this,  —  that  it  is  a 
method  by  which  the  whole  church  of  God  under  heaven  may  stand  in 
blessed  moral  unity,  on  the  basis  of  the  gospel,  the  whole  gospel,  and 
nothing  but  the  gospel,  divided  and  distracted  by  no  forms  or  ceremonies 
or  governments  which  man  hath  devised.  And  I  think,  in  the  midst  of 
such  a  scene  of  religious  anarchy  as  that  in  which  I  have  lived,  such  a 
polity  is  worthy  of  being  expMned,  defended,  and  adhered  to,  till  God 
shall  call  me  hence. 

4.  We  must  make  this  ecclesiastical  question  one  of  principle,  otherwise 
we  can  not  be  efficient  laborers  for  the  evangelization  of  this  continent  and 
the  world.  If  our  gifted  and  strong  young  men  regard  the  present  con- 
frLsed  and  anarchical  condition  of  religious  society  in  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi  as  necessary  and  inevitable;  if  they  are  taught  that  there  is 
no  question  of  principle  at  issue  between  the  Protestant  denominations, 
and  that  all  which  a  pastor  can  do  is,  in  the  general  rivalship  of  churches, 


SERMON,  51 

to  buQd  np  his  own  as  well  as  he  can,  by  the  power  of  his  eloquence,  the 
attraction  of  his  own  social  character,  and  the  social  influences  which  he 
can  gather  round  him,  and  by  the  excellence  of  his  organ  and  his  choir, 
without  any  appeal  to  the  principles  and  convictions  of  the  people,  —  I  say 
if  strong  and  vigorous-minded  young  men  see  that  churches  are  chiefly 
to  be  built  up  by  such  influences  as  these,  they  will  feel  little  attraction 
in  the  pastoral  office,  and  seek  some  other  profession;  or,  if  they  enter 
the  ministry,  a  sense  of  these  difficulties  will  weaken  their  hands,  and 
sicken  their  hearts,  and  crush  their  spirits.  And  this,  my  brethren,  is 
one  of  the  most  potent  causes  which  is  thinning  the  ranks  and  impairing 
the  energies  of  the  Christian  ministry. 

Let  us  have  done  with  all  this.  Let  us  bring  before  our  minds  the 
grand  conception  of  a  continent  to  be  overspread  with  a  network  of 
Christian  institutions.  Let  us,  with  devout  earnestness,  inquire  what 
ecclesiastical  system  is  the  flttest  instrument  for  achieving  this  great 
result;  and,  when  we  have  chosen  it  with  full  conviction,  we  shall  wield 
it  with  hearty  good  will;  we  shall  see  and  feel  the  giant  obstacles  that 
oppose  us;  but  we  shall  believe  that  the  truth  and  spirit  of  God  are 
strong  enough  to  overcome  them.  TVe  shall  not  be  intolerant  or  exclu- 
sive. We  Qhall  meekly  instruct  those  who  oppose  themselves ;  but  we 
shall  instruct  them,  and  not  dodge  them  by  any  cunning  artiflces.  We 
shall  have  principles  to  defend,  and  we  shidl  defend  them,  and  we  shall 
put  our  brethren  of  other  denominations  on  the  defense  of  theirs ;  and  if 
the  truth  is  with  us,  our  cause  will  go  up,  and  theirs  will  go  down;  if 
with  them,  theirs  will  go  up,  and  ours  go  down.  In  either  case,  we  shall 
have  labored"  successfully,  and  the  truth  will  have  triumphed.  ^ 

If  we  mean  to  be  efficient,  we  must  not  purpose  to  hold  our  own  in  a 
conflict  of  sects,  admitted  to  be  interminable  and  inevitable;  but  in  all 
things  we  must  be  the  advocates  of  principles  which  are  true,  and  there- 
fore, through  God,  mighty,  and  destined  to  overcome  and  exclude  all 
opposing  error.  And  it  is  inflnitely  important  that  this  spirit  be  infused 
into  the  Independent  churches  all  over  the  world.  English  Indepen- 
dency Is  sufiering  the  same  paralysis,  only  in  a  far  higher  degree.  It  is  but 
too  content  to  be  the  religion  of  the  middle  class.  It  is  expected,  if  a 
family  becomes  rich  and  great,  it  will  desert  "the  Chapel,"  and  go  to 
"  the  Church."  English  Independency  must  have  done  with  this.  It 
must  recognize  its  principles  as  true  for  all  men,  and  fitted  to  rule  the 
world,  and  wield  them  with  the  expectation  of  overturning  the  proud 
hierarchy  which  has  so  long  crushed  them  down,  and  establishing,  in  face 
of  the  aristociacy  of  England,  the  doctrine  of  the  equal  brotherhood  of 
the  disciples  of  Christ.  It  must  demand  for  its  sons  a  culture  as  large 
and  as  generous  as  Oxford  and  Cambridge  give  to  the  sons  of  nobility 
and  the  state  church.  It  must  claim  to  speak  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
alike  to  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor.  When  this  spirit  fully  possesses 
English  Independency,  bishops  will  hold  their  miters  and  their  revenues 
by  a  very  frail  and  transient  tenure.  Fathers  and  brethren,  both  in  this 
country  and  in  England,  any  polity  is  worthy  of  being  advocated  and 
defended  thus,  or  it  is  not  worthy  of  being  adhered  to  at  all.    If  it  is 


62  CREDENTIAXS. 

true,  let  it  triumph  and  reign;  if  false,  let  it  go  into  oblivion  as  soon  as 
possible. 

Finally,  we  must  be  in  earnest  God  never  gave  to  any  other  people 
Buch  a  problem  to  be  solved  as  that  which  he  has  given  to  the  Christian 
people  of  \)ur  country,  —  to  plant  the  gospel  under  the  full-orbed  sun- 
light of  civil  and  religious  freedom,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
and  from  the  eternal  snows  of  the  Arctic  to  the  eternal  verdure  of  the 
Tropic.  In  these  last  few  months,  he  has  come  with  his  own  terrible 
earthquake,  and  shaken  down  and  utterly  destroyed  the  only  political 
barrier  which  obstructed  our  progress.  The  land  is  now  before  us,  and  * 
the  sunshine  of  freedom  is  on  it  all.  And  God  is  calling  us.  as  by  a 
voice  speaking  to  us  from  out  of  the  sky.  Arise  and  build;  rear  up  the 
Church  of  Christ  on  the  foundation  of  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus 
Christ  being  the  chief  comer-stone,  over  all  those  hills,  amid  all  those 
valleys,  that  it  may  teach  to  all  the  millions  that  shall  soon  dwell  there, 
in  your  own  dear  mother-tongue,  these  wonderfol  works  of  God;  that  it 
may  be  so  ubiquitous  that  no  human  being  shall  fail  to  hear  its  melodi- 
ous summons  every  Sabbath  morning  to  the  house  of  Christian  prayer 
and  praise;  that  aU  those  dark  places  of  the  land  that  have  been  ctlrsed 
by  the  abominations  of  slavery  may  be  purified,  and  filled  with  light,  and 
covered  over  with  a  population  as  peaceful,  as  free,  as  enlightened,  and 
as  religious,  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  sweetest  valley  that  nestles  among 
Kew  England  hills;  in  one  word,  to  found  and  nurture  the  institutions 
of  learning,  freedom,  and  religion,  for  a  mighty  nation,  very  soon  to  sur- 
pass in  population  the  empire  of  China,  and  in  wealth  and  ubiquitous 
ihfluence  the  empire  of  Britain. 

And  shall  we  deal  lukewarmly,  coldly,  and  in  a  worldly  spirit  with  the 
elements  of  such  a  problem?  Shall  we  not,  in  such  a  cause,  pour  out  our 
wealth  like  water,  and  give  our  sons  and  daughters  to  the  work,  as 
freely  as  patriots  ever  gave  their  sons  to  their  country,  and  offer  our  own 
selves  as  freely  as  our  adorable  Redeemer  gave  himself  for  us? 


The  minutes  of  yesterday's  proceedings  were  read  and  ap- 
proved. 

CREDENTIALS. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois,  fix>m  the  committee  on  Creden- 
tials, offered  a  partial  report. 

Dr.  Patton  said  the  documents  submitted  to  the  committee  were 
very  imperfect  in  many  cases.  In  some  instances,  there  was  no  indi- 
cation of  the  State  to  which  the  individuals  designated  as  delegates, 
belonged.  In  many  cases,  there  was  an  omission  properly  to  fill 
out  the  blanks,  so  as  to  enable  the  conmiittee  to  judge  whether  the 
churches  had  acted  properly  in  determining  the  number  of  delegates  to 
which  they  were  entitled,  according  to  the  basis  of  representation.  It 
was  intended  that  every  conference  should  not  only  certify  that  such 
and  such  individuals  were  their  delegates,  but  that  such  a  number  of 
churches  were  represented,  and  fill  in  their  names,  that  it  might  be  put 


INVITATIONS.  58 

beyond  all  question  that  they  were  entitled  to  that  number  of  delegates. 
That  had  been  omitted  in  a  large  number  of  instances;  and  of  course 
the  committee  had  not  been  able  to  judge  perfectly  with  reference  to 
the  matter  submitted  to  them.  Then  the  documents,  in  some  instances, 
had  the  names  of  the  principals  and  alternates;  in  other  cases,  the  names 
of  the  principals  alone.  Of  course,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to 
make  out  a  list  giving  the  alternates  and  principals,  and  the  committee 
had  not  attempted  to  do  it  In  the  next  place,  there  was  no  indication 
as  to  which  of  the  appointees  were  present,  and  which  absent;  and  it  was 
imx)08sible  to  tell  whether  the  principals  were  all  present,  or  whether 
part  of  them  were  absent,  and  their  places  filled  by  alternates.  The 
committee  took  it  for  granted  that  the  principals  were  present,  unless 
they  were  notified  to  the  contrary. 

The  committee  further  reported  that  credentials  had  been  presented 
from  foreign  bodies;  but,  as  it  was  not  for  them  to  settle  the  status  which 
these  delegates  should  hold  in  the  body,  they  had  simply  reported  their 
names.  They  had  included  in  the  list  the  delegates  from  Canada, 
although  a  literal  construction  of  the  Call,  which  was  issued  to  the 
"  United  States,"  would  exclude  them.  But,  inasmuch  as  the  commit- 
tee exx>ected  the  United  States  to  include  Canada  at  no  distant  period 
[laughter],  they  did  not  deem  it  expedient  to  raise  the  question  with 
reference  to  the  propriety  of  their  admission  to  the  floor. 

The  list  of  delegates  was  then  read  by  the  several  members  of 
the  committee  on  credentials,  opportunity  being  afforded  for 
additions  and  corrections.  The  report  was  then  recommitted 
to  the  committee,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  greater  fullness 
and  accuracy. 

INVITATIONS. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts,  read  the  following  let- 
ters of  invitation :  — 

Boston,  Jane  14, 1865. 
Delegates  to  the  National  Congregational  Convention  are  invited  to 
participate,  as  a  body,  in  the  Temperance  Festival  to  be  held  on  the 
Common  in  this  city,  on  Saturday,  the  17th  inst,  at  9  o'clock,  A.  m.  A 
place  in  the  procession  will  be  assigned  to  the  Convention,  on  the  recep- 
tion of  an  affirmative  answer. 

For  the  Committee, 
(Signed,)  Henbt  Hoyt. 


Chablbstown,  Jane  14, 1866. 
To  THE  MODERATOB  OF  COUNCTL: 

Dear  Sir, — I  beg  leave,  in  behalf  of  the  ancient  First  Church  of  this 
city,  —  the  oldest  of  the  churches  of  the  New  World  represented  in  this 
body, — to  extend  to  the  Council  a  most  cordial  invitation  to  hold,  when- 


64  INVITATIONS. 

ever  agreeable  to  them,  their  contemplated  special  service  in  honor  of 
the  ^'  marvelous  and  merciful  dealings  of  Almighty  God  with  the  na- 
tion," in  our  sanctuary.  I  may  be  permitted  to  say,  that  the  location 
of  our  church  edifice  is  upon  Harvard  Hill,  conveniAtly  near  to  this 
place;  a  spot  around  which  cluster  many  patriotic  and  sacred  associa- 
tions; where  the  sainted  Governor  Winthrop  and  his  fellow-Christians, 
two  hundred  and  thirty-five  years  ago,  established  the  worship  of  God, 
and  quite  near  to  that  eminence  upon  which,  ninety  years  ago  next  Sat- 
urday, occurred  the  first  great  battle  of  the  American  Revolution. 

It  afibrds  me  great  pleasure  herewith  to  transmit  to  the  Council  the 
enclosed  communication  from  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Warren,  President  of  the 
Bunker  Hill  Monument  Association;  and  also  to  add,  that  I  am  requested 
by  Rear  Admiral  Silas  H.  Stringham,  Commandant  of  the  Navy  Yard 
in  this  place,  to  convey  to  the  members  of  the  Council,  from  him,  a  cor- 
dial invitation  to  visit  the  Yard  and  the  government  works  at  such  time 
as  may  suit  their  convenience. 

Most  respectfully  and  sincerely, 
(Signed,)  James  B.  Miles, 

Pastor  First  Church,  Charlestown. 

42  CouBT  Street,  June  U,  1866. 
Dear  /Sir,  —  Understanding  that  there  is  to  be,  during  the  present 
yeek,  a  Convention  in  Boston  of  the  National  Congregational  Council, 
and  that  it  is  their  purpose  to  hold,  during  their  session,  a  patriotic  ser- 
vice of  thanksgiving  for  the  overthrow  of  the  rebellion,  I  beg  leave  to 
request  you  to  extend  to  the  Council,  on  behalf  of  the  Bunker  Hill  Mon- 
ument Association,  an  invitation  to  visit  Bunker  Hill  and  the  Monu- 
ment at  such  time  as  may  suit  their  convenience. 

Yours  most  respectfully, 
(Signed,)  G.  Washingtok  Wakben. 

Bev.  James  B.  Mtt.es. 


On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  it  was 

Votedy  That  the  Council  acknowledge -the  courtesy  of  the  invitation  to 
join  in  the  Temperance  celebration  on  the  17th  inst,  and  express  its 
sympathy  in  the  object,  but  respectfully  decline  to  participate,  on  ac- 
count of  the  pressure  of  its  own  business. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts,  the  other 
invitations  were  referred  to  the  Business  Committee  to  be  here- 
after appointed. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  of  Massachusetts,  it  was 

Voted^  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed,  to  nominate  the  vari- 
ous committees  of  the  CounciL 

Adjourned, 


BULE8  OF  ORDER. 


55 


Thursday,  p.m.,  June  16. 

The  Council  met  at  three  o'clock,  the  moderator  in  the 
chair. 

The  committee  on  Nominations  was  announced  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

Kev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy,  MassachuBetts;  (>ov.  James  G.  Smithy 
Vermont;  Eev.  Milton  Badger,  D.  D.,  Califomia;  Bev.  Flavel  Bascom, 
Ulinois;  Asaliel  Finch,  Esq.,  Wisconsin. 

DISPATCH  TO  THE  PBESEDEKT. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Bowen,  of  New  York,  it  was  ordered 
that  a  telegraphic  dispatch  be  sent  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  as  follows :  — 

To  His  Excellency,  Andrew  Johnson, 

President  of  the  United  States^  Washington,  D.  C 

The  National  Congregational  Council,  now  in  session  in  this  city, 
representing  nearly  three  .thousand  churches,  in  all  sections  of  the 
coxmtry,  desire  to  present  you  their  Christian  salutations,  to  assure  you 
of  their  profound  sympathy  in  your  great  and  trying  labors,  to  promise 
you  .their  loyal  support  and  their  prayers,  and  to  express  their  solemn 
conviction  that  the  hundreds  of  thousands  embraced  as  worshipers  in 
our  churches  will  most  heartily  co-operate  with  you  in  extending  the 
institutions  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  throughout  the  land. 

MouiTT  VxBiiOH  Chuboh,  BofltOD,  Jane  15, 1866. 

On  motion,  it  was 

Voted,  That  the  dispatch  be  signed  by  the  moderator,  and  transmit- 
ted to  the  President 

BULES  OF  ORDER. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut,  from  the  committee  on 
Rules  of  Order  (in  the  absence  of  the  chairman,  Rev.  Dr. 
Sturtevant),  submitted  their  report  as  follows :  — 

RULES  OF  ORDER. 

I.  Each  morning,  at  the  time  to  which  the  Council  is  adjourned,  the 
moderator  shall  oi>en  the  meeting  with  prayer,  and  the  scribe  shall 
read  the  minutes  of  the  preceding  day,  that  any  needful  correction  may 
be  made. 


# 


56  RULES  07   ORDSB. 

IL  In  case  of  an  equal  division  of  votes,  the  moderator  shall  have  a 
casting  vote. 

III.  Whilst  the  moderator  is  putting  any  question  or  addressing  the 
body,  no  one  shall  walk  out  of  or  across  the  house;  nor  in  such  case,  or 
when  a  member  is  speaking,  shall  entertain  private  discourse,  or  read 
any  printed  book  or  paper;  nor  whilst  a  member  is  speaking  shall  pass 
between  him  and  the  chair. 

lY.  When  any  member,  in  debating  or  otherwise,  shall  transgress 
the  rules  of  the  body,  the  moderator  shall,  by  his  own  authority,  or  at 
the  request  of  aiiy  member,  call  him  to  order;  and  if  a  question  shall 
arise  concerning  his  being  in  order,  it  shall  be  decided  by  an  appeal  to 
the  body. 

V.  Every  member,  when  he  wishes  to  speak,  shall  address  the  mod- 
erator, who  shall  announce  his  name.  When  two  or  more  rise  at  once, 
the  moderator  shall  name  the  member  who  is  first  to  speak. 

VI.  No  member  shaU  speak  more  than  twice  to  the  merits  of  the 
question  in  debate,  except  by  special  permission  of  the  body;  nor 
more  than  once  until  every  member  choosing  to  speak  shall  have 
spoken. 

yil.  Every  motion,  except  for  adjournment,  shall  be  reduced  to 
writing,  if  the  moderator  or  any  two  members  desire  it. 

VIII.  When  a  motion  is  regularly  made  and  seconded,  and  has  been 
stated  by  the  moderator,  it  cannot  be  withdrawn  or  modified  by  the 
mover  without  the  consent  of  the  body. 

IX.  'No  vote  can  be  reconsidered  except  on  the  day  of  its  passage,  or 
the  next  succeeding,  and  on  motion  of  one  who  voted  with  the  majority. 

X.  When  a  question  is  under  debate,  no  motion  shall  be  received,  but 
to  adjourn,  to  lay  on  the  table,  for  the  previous  question,  to  postpone  to 
a  day  or  hour  certain,  to  commit,  to  amend,  to  postpone  indefinitely, 
which  several  motions  shall  have  precedence  in  the  order  in  which  they 
are  arranged.  On  a  motion  for  adjournment,  for  laying  on  the  table, 
for  indefinite  postponement,  or  for  the  previous  question,  there  shall  be 
no  debate. 

XI.  The  efiect  of  a  negative  of  the  previous  question  is  to  allow  fur- 
ther debate  and  the  issue  of  the  subject  in  due  order;  the  efiect  of 
adopting  the  previous  question  is  to  put  an  end  to  debate,  and  to  bring 
the  Council  to  a  direct  vote  upon  pending  amendments,  if  any,  and  then 
upon  the  original  question. 

XII.  If  a  question  under  debate  contains  several  parts,  any  member 
tnay  have  it  divided,  and  the  question  taken  on  each  part. 

XIII.  Every  committee  shall  consist  of  three  members,  unless  ex- 
pressly ordered  otherwise  by  the  body,  and  shall  be  nominated  by  a 
committee  appointed  for  the  purpose. 

XIV.  If  the  report  of  a  committee  contains  nothing  more  than  mat- 
ters of  fact  for  information,  or  matters  of  argument  for  the  considera- 
tion of  the  Council,  the  question  is.  Shall  the  report  he  accepted  f  and 
that  question,  unless  superseded  by  a  motion  to  reject,  to  recommit,  to 
postpone,  or  to  lay  upon  the  table,  shall  be  taken  without  debate* 


PBESKNTATION   OF   FOREIGN   DELEGATES.  67 

Such  a  report,  if  accepted,  is  placed  upon  the  files  of  the  Council,  but 
not  being  an  act  of  the  Council,  is  not  entered  on  the  minutes. 

If  the  report  is  in  the  form  of  a  vote  or  resolution,  or  of  a  declaration, 
expressing  the  judgment  or  testimony  of  the  Council,  the  additional 
question  crises,  Shall  the  report  he  adopted  f  and  motions  for  amend- 
ment are  in  order.  Such  a  report,  if  adopted,  with  or  without  amend- 
ment, is  the  act  of  the  Council,  and  is  entered  on  the  minutes. 

If  a  report  gives  the  views  of  the  committee  on  the  matter  referred  to 
them,  and  terminates  with  the  form  of  a  resolution  or  declaration  in  the 
name  of  the  Council,  the  adoption  of  the  report  is  the  adoption  only  of 
the  resolution  or  declaration;  and  while  the  report  at  large  is  placed  on 
file,  that  part  of  it  which  has  become  an  act  of  the  Council  is  entered  on 
the  mmutes. 

Xy.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  business  committee  to  prepare  a 
docket  for  the  use  of  the  moderator,  upon  which  shall  be  entered  all 
items  of  business  which  members  of  the  Council  may  desire  to  bring 
before  the  body,  and,  except  by  special  vote  of  the  Council,  no  business 
shall  be  introduced  which  has  not  in  this  manner  passed  through  the 
hands  of  the  committee. 

The  report  was  adopted,  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 

PRESENTATION  OF  FOREIGN  DELEGATES. 

Ret.  Db.  Blagden,  of  Massachusetts.  I  have  a  duty  to  perform,  sir, 
as  one  of  the  Committee  of  Arrangement^,  who  by  their  vote  have  assigned 
to  me  that  duty;  and  it  strikes  me  that  the  subject  to  be  brought  before 
the  Council,  in  the  fiilfillment  of  that  duty,  had  better  be  presented  now, 
before  the  Council  shall  engage  in  any  of  the  regular  business  that  suc^ 
eeeds  the  reception  of  the  credentials  of  delegates. 

It  is  known  to  the  Council  that  there  are  gentlemen  present  from  for- 
eign bodies,  and  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  appointed  me  to  intro- 
duce two  of  the  brethren  from  the  Congregational  Union  of  England 
and  Wales,  in  a  few  words.  Those  brethren  are  present,  sir,  and  I  am 
glad  to  hear  and  to  know  that  there  are  others  present  from  other  bod- 
ies. The  two  brethren  to  whom  I  refer  are  the  only  brethren  from 
abroad  who  were  mentioned  as  attendants  upon  the  Council  at  the  time 
of  the  last  session  of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements;  and  it  will  not 
preclude  that  attention  which  the  Council  would  wish  to  pay  to  others 
if  I,  in  the  discharge  of  that  particular  duty,  present  only  those  two 
brethren  at  this  time. 

With  these  few  remarks,  I  have  the  honor  to  introduce  to  the  Council 
Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Vaughan  and  Rev.  Dr.  Alexander  Raleigh,  of  England, 
delegates  to  this  body,  as  I  understand,  from  the  Congregational  Union 
of  England  and  Wales. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois.  I  am  informed  that  there  are  some 
documents  which  have  been  presented  by  these  gentlemen,  which  they 
wouki  like  to  have  read. 


58  LETTERS  FROM   FOREIGN   BODIES. 

Dr.  Patton  of  Illinois,  read  the  following  letter  and  docu- 
ments :  — 

NORTH  STAFFORDSHIRE  CONGREGATIONAL  UNION. 

Spring  Meeting  held  in  the  Congregational  Chv/rch,  Stoke-on-Trent^ 
April  17 thy  1865.    Henry  Pidduck,  Esq.,  Mayor  ofHanley^  in  the  Chair. 

The  following  resolution  was  proposed  by  the  Rev.  R.  McAll,  of  Han- 
ley,  seconded  by  the  Rev.  S.  Jones,  of  Longton,  and  unanimously  car- 
ried:— 

"  That  the  North  Staffordshire  CQunty  Association  of  Congregational 
Churches  and  Pastors  is  happy  to  take  the  opx)ortunity  of  nominating 
the  Rev.  S.  R.  Asbury,  b.  a.,  as  a  delegate  to  the-  National  Congrega- 
tional Coimcil,  meeting  at  Boston  on  the  14th  of  June,  1865,  and  would 
thus  express  the  earnest  wish  that  Congregational  principles  may  fur- 
ther advance  in  the  United  States. 

^^  And  they  would  also  express  the  hope  that  the  churches  of  England 
may  soon  have  to  rejoice  with  their  brethren  in  America  over  the  re- 
moval of  the  curse  of  slavery  from  that  continent,  and  the  restoration  of 
true  peace." 

(Signed,)  Henry  Piddttck,  Chairman. 

J.  Hankinson,  Secretary y 
And  Pastor  of  the  Congregational  Churchf  Leek, 


Sheffield,  N.  B.,  Ist  Jane,  1865. 
To  THE  National  Council  of  Congregational  Churches,  Boston. 

Dear  Brethren, — Though  widely  separated  in  our  fields  of  labor,  and 
though  under  different  forms  of  civil  government,  and  among  people  dif- 
fering inuch  in  their  social  and  domestic  habits,  yet  we  are  members  of 
the  same  family  of  the  church  on  earth,  —  identified  as  brethren  by  a 
common  faith  and  by  our  scriptural  form  of  church  polity. 

The  Congregational  Union  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick  is  a 
smalTbody,  numbering  only  twelve  churches.  We  are  spread  over  a 
wide  territory,  and  no  possibility  exists  of  our  coming  together  except 
at  our  annual  gatherings.  This  difficulty  has  presented  an  insuperable 
barrier  to  our  apx)ointing  a  delegate  to  represent  us  in  your  ^^  National 
Council."  The  Rev.  W.  H.  Daniels,  who  has  labored  in  the  city  of  St. 
John,  N.  B.,  for  a  number  of  years,  purposes  being  present  with  you; 
and  it  is  with  the  greatest  pleasure,  as  Secretary  of  our  Union,  that  I 
introduce  him  to  your  notice. 

Our  Union  does  not  meet  till  the  21st  of  next  month;  but  if  an  oppor- 
tunity had  existed,  I  am  confident  it  would  have  been  the  cordial  and 
unanimous  desire  of  all  our  members  and  churches  that  our  beloved 
brother  Daniels  should  have  appeared  as  our  delegate  at  your  Council. 

If^  under  these  circumstances,  he  can  not  be  allowed  to  take  part  in 


LETTERS  FROM  FOREIGN   BODIES.  59 

your  proceedings,  I  have  no  doubt  he  will  be  cordially  welcomed  by 
you,  and  be  at  your  sittings  an  interested  hearer  and  spectator. 
I  am  dear  brethren,  yours  in  the  best  of  bonds, 

BoBERT  Wilson, 

Secretazy  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society  and  Congregational  Union 
of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick. 


FROM  THE  CONGREGATIONAL  UNION  OF  ENGLAND  AND  WALES. 

This  assembly,  while  uniformly  cherishing  the  liveliest  interest  in  the 
Congregational  churches  of  the  United  States,  and  always  desirous  of 
cultivating  friendly  relation  with  those  churches,  is  constrained  to  give 
a  prompt  and  special  expression  of  these  sentiments  and  feelings  in  the 
present  unparalleled  crisis  of  American  history. 

The  assembly,  therefore,  dispensing  with  the  formality  of  a  regular  in- 
vitation, requests  the  Kev.  B.  Yaughan,  D.  D.,  the  Kev.  A.  Baleigh,  d.  d., 
and  the  Kev.  George  Smith,  d.  d.,  to  proceed  as  delegates  from  this 
Union,  to  attend  the  Convention  of  Congregational  churches,  to  be  held 
next  month  in  the  city  of  Boston. 

This  assembly  instructs  the  deputation  to  convey  its  cordial  greetings 
to  the  ministers  and  churches  represented  at  the  ssud  conference,  and  to 
assure  them  of  its  earnest  prayers  for  their  continued  welfare  and  grow- 
ing prosperity;  its  high  appreciation  of  the  great  services  rendered  by 
them  to  the  interests  of  our  common  Christianity,  and  of  human  pro- 
gress; its  cordial  eicknowledgment  of  the  anti-slavery  principles  held 
and  advocated  by  those  churches;  its  hearty  congratulations  on  eiccount 
of  the  great  work  of  emancipation  thus  far  accomplished,  and,  it  is  fully 
believed,  under  God,  completely  and  finally  secured;  its  profound  sym- 
pathy with  them  and  their  fellow  countrymen  generally  in  the  fearful 
losses  and  agonizing  trials  of  the  four  years'  civil  war;  and,  especially, 
in  the  foul  assassination  of  the  upright,  patient,  and  noble-hearted  Abra- 
ham Lincoln;  its  intense  delight  at  the  prospect  of  peace  and  re-union, 
without  compromise  on  the  slave  question;  its  profound  thankfulness  to 
Almighty  God  for  the  spirit  of  moderation  and  clemency  hitherto  dis- 
played on  the  victorious  side;  its  full  confidence  in  the  efibrts  that  will 
now  be  made  to  meet  the  physical,  intellectual,  and  moral  necessities  of 
four  millions  of  human  beings  in  their  sudden  transition  from  the  degra- 
dation of  slavery,  to  the  privileges  and  responsibilities  of  freedom;  and 
finally,  its  readiness,  in  every  appropriate  way,  to  co-operate  with  their 
American  brethren  in  these  philanthropic  labors,  and  in  all  future  en- 
deavors tending  to  promote  the  complete  triumph  of  evangelical  truth, 
religious  equality,  and  universal  peace. 


UNION  DES  ^GLISES  EVANGELIQUES  DE  FRANCE. 

Paris,  27th  April,  1866. 

To  THE  President  or  the  Convention  of  the 

Congregational  Churches  of  America. 
Beverend  and  dear  iStV, — The  Union  of  Evangelical  Churches  of 
Prance  was  invited,  in  your  name,  to  send  a  representative  to  your  great 


60  LETTERS   FROM    FOREIGN   BODIES. 

Convention.  We  are  very  happy  to  be  able  to  answer  your  kind  invita- 
tion. "We  send,  as  our  delegate  to  your  Convention,  our  dear  friend,  the 
Rev.  Theodore  Monod,  who  succeeded  his  excellent  and  lamented  father, 
the  Be  v.  Dr.  Monod,  in  his  church  at  Paris.  M.  Monod  is  a  bond  of 
union  between  France  and  America;  for,  as  he  was  born  for  the  first 
time  in  Paris,  he  was  bom  again  in  your  great  revival,  and,  although 
Pastor  in  our  metropolis,  he  has  studied  and  has  been  ordained  in  your 
country. 

When  we  decided  to  send  him  to  your  assembly,  we  charged  him  with 
a  message  of  exultant  joy  ovei*  the  triumph  of  the  cause  of  union  and 
liberty.  That  final  and  splendid  victory,  secured  after  an  amount  of 
energetic  efforts  and  of  sacrifice  hitherto  unequalled,  filled  us  French  Prot- 
estants with  a  delight  and  an  enthusiasm  which  words  can  not  describe. 
If  it  had  been  our  own  cause,  we  should  not  have  felt  more.  And  it  was 
indeed  our  own  cause  which  had  been  imperiled;  our  own  cause  which, 
for  four  years,  had  been  contemned  and  abused,  when  all  the  enemies  of 
political,  civil,  and  religious  liberty  prophesied  scornfully  that  your 
imion  would  be  broken,  and  that  your  flag,  upon  which  is  inscribed  all 
that  which  is  dear  to  us,  would  lose  for  ever  all  its  prestige.  !Now  the 
Lord  be  praised;  we  have  much  prayed  for  you;  we  thank  our  God  with 
you  from  the  deepest  of  our  heart 

But  now,  we  are  filled  with  mourning  and  awe;  and  our  representa- 
tive, M.  Monod,  will  tell  you  under  what  gloom  was  held  the  anniver- 
sary of  our  Evangelical  Society,  which  began  just  at  the  hour  when  the 
firightful  news  of  Mr.  Lincoln^s  assassination  was  known  in  Paris.  Oh, 
you  might  have  seen  how  much  your  cause  is  ours,  by  the  universal 
lamentation  which  it  excited  among  us  alL  But,  in  our  deep  sorrow, 
we  did  not  for  a  moment  fear  for  the  ultimate  result.  We  know  that 
the  more  the  Lord  chastises  us,  the  greater  are  the  blessings  which  he 
keeps  for  us.  M.  Monod  will  convey  to  you  our  deepest  sympathy  in 
that  bereavement  which  affects  every  one  of  us. 

May  the  Lord,  Mr.  President,  give  to  your  great  Convention  an 
immense  efficacy  for  the  spread  of  His  truth,  and  for  the  temporal  and 
spiritual  welfare  of  your  great  nation.  May  the  fruits  of  that  assembly 
ripen  even  after  the  removal  of  our  generation  for  a  better  world;  may 
your  children  and  your  children's  children  have  to  bless  the  day  of  your 
meeting. 

Li  the  name  of  the  Commission  Synodale, 

Q.  FiscH,  President. 
T.  Abmakd  Deulle,  Pastor^  Secretaire, 


Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  read  the  following  com- 
munication and  address  from  the  Welsh  brethren:  — 

(tbanslation.) 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Glamorganshire  Association  of  Congre- 
gational ministers  and  churches,  held  at  Mountain  Ash,  Aberdare,  May 
81, 1865,  it  was  unanimously  resolved, — 


LErtnBRS  FROM   FOREIGN    BODIES.  61 

L  That  this  Conference,  representing  150  churches,  102  ministers,  81 
lay  preachers,  and  more  than  20,000  communicants,  rejoices  to  hear  that 
an  important  Convention  of  the  Congregational  churches  of  the  United 
States  of  America  is  to  meet  next  month  at  Boston;  earnestly  prays 
that  the  Lord's  blessing  may  rest  on  their  deliberations;  and  appoints 
the  Rev.  John  Thomas,  Tabernacle,  Liverpool,  C.  R.  Jones,  Esq., 
Llanoyllin,  and  Mr.  John  Griffiths,  Londoir,  to  represent  this  associa- 
tion at  the  Boston  Convention. 

2.  That  this  Association  greatly  rejoices  at  the  termination  of  the 
war  in  America;  gratefully  acknowledges  the  persistent  and  successful 
efforts  of  the  North  to  extirpate  the  hateM  curse  of  slavery;  hails  the 
restoration  of  the  Union  with  joy  and  thankfulness;  deeply  sympathizes 
with  the  people  and  the  government  of  the  United  States  in  their  sor- 
row for  the  cruel  and  base  assassination  of  one  of  the  wisesty  noblest, 
most  hoTiestj  and  most  tender-hearted  men  that  ever  governed  the  United 
States,  or  any  other  country;  admires  the  quiet  and  firm  manner  in 
which  the  government  was  carried  on  at  so  dangerous  a  crisis,  and  not- 
withstanding a  catastrophe  so  unexpected  and  appalling;  and  earnestly 
trusts  that  the  future  of  the  Union  will  be  worthy  of  the  glorious  history 
to  which  the  American  people  can  lay  claim,  f^om  the  first  landing  of 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers  on  the  shores  of  the  Western  Continent,  until  now; 
and  desires  its  representatives  to  convey  this  resolution  to  our  beloved 
brethren  at  the  Boston  Convention. 

Thomas  Ress,  d.  d.,  Chainnan.  {diff.  Jorh  Jones,  CarmeL 

JoHH  Daviss,  MowU  Stuart  Chaptl^  Car-  Richard  Williams,  Bryn, 

Hesbt  Olivek,  b.  a.  {Land  Unw.\  Pan-  Josiah  Thomas  Jones,  Aberdar€. 

JoHK  Rees,  Canaan,  Swantea.         [tffpudd,  Josuah  Thomas,  Saiem,  Ahtrdart* 

Thomas  Thomas,  Landore^  Swantea,  Thomas  Dayies,  Horeb^  Morritton, 

JoKAH  RoBEBTS,  SwnmerJtM,  Neath,  John  Griffiths,  Glantaf, 

Hjerbert  Daniel,  Poriry-PooL  Jonah  Morgan,  ChDnAach^  Aberdare. 

John  Jones.  Zoar^  Maetley,  William  Williams,  Hirwaen,  Aberdare. 

JoHH  Matthews,  Neath,  Rees  Morgan,  Addaldy^  Gl^meath  Neath. 

Bbts  Swsstn  Jones,  Merihj/r  T\fdJU.  David  Evans,  Briton  Ferry,  Neath. 

John  Llotd  James,  Whitchurch.  David  Jones,  Wind  Street  Chapd,  Neath. 

JoBif  Jones,  Rudery.  Tho's  Llewelyn,  Mountain  Ash,  Aber- 

Jamss  Evans,  Ckirmelf  [dare,  John  Dayies,  Pontygof,  Ebbvo  Vale.  [dare. 

William  Willlams,  Abercrcmbay,  Aber-  William  Edwards,  Aberdare. 

S.  D.  Jones,  Heolgemg,  Merthyr.  William  Watkin^,  Maesteg. 

J.  M.  Dayies,  Maesycwmur.  William  Morgans,  Maesteg. 

Pbtsb  Howell,  Xnysgan  Chcqpei,  Merihyr*  Dayid  Price,  SiUa,  Aberdare. 

B.  Whithnoton,  FreherberU  Evan  Pritchard,  Glandur. 

Stephen  Dayies,  /Soar,  Aberdare.  John  Eyans,  Maendn. 

MoBGAN  Morgan,  Bethesda-y-pro.  Ellis  Hughes,  Penmain, 

Wtluax.  Mobgan,  Saron  Troe^hiew.  Dayid  Dayies,  Nemnn, 

James  Thomas,  Carmel,  Bonmlttone.  Willlam  Griffiths,  Llanharhan. 

John  Benax,  Warmarluyd,  SuHuuea.  Richard  Griffiths,  Ctfucoedcymer. 

Robert  Jones,  Craigyfargod.  R.  Rowlands,  Aberaman. 

JoHw  Dayies,  Taiiierianj  David  Richards,  CaerpkiUy. 


The  following  address  to  the  Convention  of  the  American  Congrega- 
tional Union,  assembling  in  the  city  of  Boston,  Massachussetts,  on  the 


62  LETTERS   FROM   FOREIGN   BODIES. 

14th  of  June,  1865,  from  ministers,  deacons,  and  members  belonging 
to  the  Welsh  Congregational  churches  in  the  towns  of  Liverpool  and 
Birkenhead,  and  a  number  of  friends  from  London,  and  the  Principality, 
at  a  public  breakfast  given  May  30th,  1865,  to  their  friends  and  breth- 
ren, the  Rev.  J.  Thomas,  Liverpool,  C.  R.  Jones,  Esq.,  Llanfyllin,  and 
Mr.  J.  Griffith,  London,  on  their  departure  on  a  visit  to  America:  — 

Mwed  by  the  Rev.  N.  Stephens,  Liverpool;  seconded  by  the  Rev.  TV. 
Ambrose,  Portmadoc  (Secretary  of  the  Carnarvonshire  Association) ; 
supported  by  the  Rev.  O.  Evans,  "Wrexham  (Secretary  of  the  Associa- 
tion of  the  Counties  of  Denbigh  and  Flint). 

To  THE  PHESIDENT  OF  THE  CONVENTION  OF 

THE  American  Congregational  Union. 

JSoTuyred  Sir,  —  We,  ministers,  office-bearers,  and  members  of  the 
Welsh  Congregational  Churches,  in  Liverpool,  Birkenhead,  and  else- 
where, who  have  assembled  together  on  this  30th  day  of  May,  1865, 
desire,  through  you,  to  express  our  fraternal  love  and  regard  for  our 
American  brethren,  of  the  same  faith  and  order,  assembled  at  your  con- 
vention, and  the  American  churches  and  people  in  general.  We  feel 
assured,  that  the  numerous  Welsh  Congregational  churches  in  the 
Northern  States,  and  thousands  of  our  countrymen  resident  there,  will 
be  rejoiced  to  hear  the  expression  of  sympathy  and  affection  towards 
their  adopted  country,  from  friends  and  brethren  in  their  native  land. 

Our  ministers  in  Liverpool  have  had  the  privilege  of  presenting  an 
address  to  your  eminent  brother  and  countryman,  the  Rev.  H.  Ward 
Beecher,  at  a  public  breakfast  given  him  by  the  friends  of  the  Federal 
Union  and  negro  emancipation,  in  this  town,  on  his  departure  from  our 
shores,  after  his  recent  visit  to  this  country;  expressing  their  profound 
sympathy  with  the  government  and  people  of  the  Northern  States,  in 
their  great  struggle  to  crush  the  infamous  rebellion  of  the  slaveocracy  of 
the  South. 

In  that  address,  they  had  the  confidence  to  affirm  it  as  their  convic- 
tion, that  had  opportunities  been  afforded  them,  almost  all  the  min- 
isters and  churches  of  our  denomination  in  the  principality  of  Wales  — 
nearly  eight  hundred  in  number  —  would  have  cordially  concurred  in  the 
sentiments  therein  contained.  Subsequent  information  fully  sustained 
that  conviction. 

Sir,  we  have  watched  the  progress  of  the  desolating  war,  which  for 
the  last  four  years  afflicted  your  country,  with  the  deepest  solicitude. 
Our  best  sympathies  were  with  your  cause;  our  prayers  were  also  in 
your  calamities;  and  now  those  calamities  being  overpast,  we  are  anx- 
ious to  embrace  the  opportunity  afforded  by  the  assembling  of  your 
Convention  to  offer  you  our  hearty  congratulations  on  the  happy  termi- 
nation of  the  unhappy  strife.  We  rejoice  in  your  rejoicings.  We  con- 
gratulate you,  that,  through  the  mercy  of  an  overruling  Providence, 
your  Federal  Union  has  ridden  triumphantly  thrgugh  the  terrific  tem- 
pests which  at  one  time  threatened  to  overwhelm  it;  that  it  has  come 
out  of  the  fiery  ordeal  like  gold  purified  in  the  fiirnace,  having  the 


ADDRESS.  63 

plagne  spot  of  slavery  wiped  off  entirely,  and  for  ever,  we  trust,  from  its 
fair  escutcheon. 

The  sacrifice,  which  you  were  called  upon  to  make,  indeed,  was  great 
and  costly;  but  the  blessings  obtained,  —  the  liberation  of  four  millions 
of  human  beings  from  bondage  and  oppression  as  cruel  as  ever  disgraced 
the  earth;  the  eradication  of  the  cancer  which  ate  the  vitals  of  the  polit- 
ical Constitution  of  the  Union;  the  removal  of  the  hateful  incubus  which 
rested  on  the  churches,  and  disfigured  the  fair  face  of  Christianity  in  the 
land,  —  must  be  esteemed  as  a  fair  compensation. 

Sir,  we  rejoice  in  the  fact  that  the  Congregational  body  in  America 
has  never,  so  far  as  our  knowledge  goes,  participated  in  the  actual  guilt 
of  negro  slavery.  We  bless  God  that  you  have  been  enabled  to  keep 
aloof  from  the  accursed  thing,  and  to  raise  your  voices  against  it,  main- 
taining the  spirit  and  traditions  of  your  noble  Pilgrim  fathers,  who 


"  planted  freedom's  sacred  tree 

Two  hundred  years  ago 


»» 


on  the  rock  of  Plymouth.  , 

We  confidently  trust  that  the  universal  cry  of  horror  and  indignation, 
raised  simultaneously  by  all  parties  in  England,  at  the  atrocious  deed  of 
assassination  by  which  your  late  honest,  amiable,  and  virtuous  Presi- 
dent was  cut  off  in  the  hour  of  triumph  and  rejoicing;  the  words  of 
tender  and  heartfelt  sympathy  and  condolence  sent  by  our  beloved  wid- 
owed Queen  Victoria  to  the  sorrowing  widow  of  your  illustrious  Abra- 
ham Lincoln;  the  warm  sympathy  expressed  by  our  Government  and 
Houses  of  Parliament  with  your  Government  and  people  on  that  mourn- 
ful occasion, — will  serve  to  calm  and  to  soothe  the  offended  feelings  of 
our  American  brethren  toward  the  mother  country,  on  account  of  the 
sympathy  shown  by  a  certain  party,  and  a  portion  of  our  public  press, 
with  the  late  rebellion,  and  be  the  means  of  uniting  both  countries 
together  in  a  closer  union,  and  deeper  mutual  affection,  than  ever  before. 
May  it  ever  be  regarded  as  a  most  sacred  duty,  by  ministers  and  Chris- 
tian men  in  both  countries,  to  use  all  possible  endeavors  to  infiuence 
their  respective  governments  to  maintain  peace  and  amity  between 
Great  Britain  and  America;  so  that  they  go  forth  hand  in  hand  to  con- 
fer upon  the  world  the  blessings  of  peace,  civilization,  and  religion. 

Finally,  we  rejoice  in  the  benevolent  and  Christian  object  which  your 
Union  is  contemplating;  that  of  returning  blessing  upon  the  South  for 
the  curse  which  its  slave  oligarchy  has  brought  upon  your  land;  by 
establishing  educational  and  religious  institutions  there,  for  the  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  benefit  of  the  poor  and  neglected  negro  races,  to 
whom  the  late  war  brought  the  inestimable  boon  of  emancipation;  yea, 
to  preach  the  gospel  of  peace  and  good-will  to  those  who  have  been  so 
long  and  so  cruelly  oppressed  and  to  those  who  oppressed  them,  —  to 
make  of  both,  who  till  lately  stood  in  the  anomalous  relation  of  master 
and  slave  to  each  other,  "  one  new  man,  making  peace."  "  Out  of  the 
South  came  the  whirlwind  "  of  rebellion  and  devastation  upon  your  land. 
Ont  of  the  North  also  came  the  cold  which  blasted  that  rebellion;  and 


64  CANADA   DELEGATION.. 

now  it  may  be  added,  "  Fair  weather  cometh  from  the  North,*'  when  its 
right  hand  is  extended  toward  its  fellow-countrymen  in  the  South,  to 
bestow  upon  them  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,  irre- 
spective of  race  or  color. 

May  the  eye  of  the  great  Head  of  the  church  be  upon  you,  to  guide 
and  direct  your  deliberations.  May  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  rest  upon 
your  convention,  "  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit 
of  counsel  and  might,  the  spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the 
Lord." 

William  Bees,  Chairman. 

The  documents  were  accepted. 

INSTRUCTIONS  TO  THE  NOMINATING  COMMITTEE. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Eustis,  of  Connecticut,  it  was 

Voted,  That  the  Nominating  Committee  be  requested  to  bring  before  , 
the  Council  the  nominations  for  committees  on  business,  finance,  print- 
ing, and  devotional  exercises. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut,  it  was 

Voted,  That  the  Komlnating  Committee  be  authorized  to  nominate  as 
many  persons  on  each  of  thesQ  committees  as  they  think  best. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter  stated  that  Mr.  Atkins,  one  of  the  scribes, 
asked  to  be  excused,  and  moved  that  the  Nominating  Committee 
be  requested  to  nominate  a  scribe  in  his  place.     Carried. 

THE  CANADA  DELEGATION. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut,  inquired  if  the  names  of  the  delegates 
ftom  Canada  had  been  inserted  in  the  list  as  members  of  the  Council, 
or  whether  they  stood  on  the  same  footing  as  the  brethren  from  Eng- 
land. 

Dr.  Patton  said  that  was  for  the  Council  to  decide. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  I  want  the  question  presented  now.  I  received, 
some  time  ago,  a  communication,  indirectly,  in  regard  to  the  representa- 
tion of  some  Canadian  churches  in  this  National  Council;  and  I  made 
reply,  that  the  terms  of  invitation  to  this  Council  made  it  not  an  Ecu- 
menical nor  an  International  Council,  but  simply  a  National  one.  The 
call  is  addressed  to  all  those  Congregational  churches  in  the  United 
States  of  America  which  are  in  recognized  fellowship  and  co-operation, 
through  general  associations,  general  conferences,  and  conventions. 
Canada  is  not  in  the  United  States;  and  I  therefore  suggested  that 
representatives  from  those  churches  would  be  gladly,  I  had  no  doubt, 
received  here  on  the  same  footing  with  representatives  from  Great 
Britain  and  from  France,  as  delegates  from  foreign  churches,  with  which 
we  are  in  fellowship.    I  move  that  those  brethren  who  present  creden- 


WELCOME   TO   THE   FOREIGN   DELEGATES.  65 

tials  from  yarious  bodies  of  Congregational  ministers  and  churches  in 
foreign  countries  be  received  as  honorary  members  of  this  Kational 
Council 

The  motion  was  carried. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  of  New  York,  inquired  if  any  documents  had 
been  presented  to  the  conmiittee  on  Credentials  with  regard  to  the  Bev. 
Dr.  Massie,  of  London,  who  was  present. 

Bev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois,  said  that  no  credentials  had  been  pre- 
sented to  the  conmiittee. 

Bev.  Dr.  Beicon,  of  Connecticut,  said  that  Dr.  Massie  had  formerly 
visited  this  country,  and  was  known  as  our  stanchest  friend  in  times 
of  trial;  and  he  would  move  that  he  be  invited  to  sit  as  an  honorary 
member  of  this  Council. 

Carried. 

WELCOME  TO  THE  FOBEIGN  DELEGATES. 

The  moderator  then  addressed  the  foreign  delegates  as 
follows  :  — 

Christian  Brethren,  —  In  behalf  of  the  Coimcil,  I  greet  you  with  a 
cordial  welcome.  It  is  true,  as  has  been  stated  in  one  of  the  documents 
which  have  been  presented  to  this  Council,  that  for  the  last  four  or  five 
years,  the  condition  of  this  country  has  been  unparalleled  in  its  embar- 
rassment. "We  have  been  contending,  as  we  feel,  not  for  ourselves 
merely,  but  for  the  mterests  of  humanity  and  the  interests  of  Christian- 
ity throughout  the  civilized  world.  [Applause.]  It  has  required  all 
the  energies  of  our  minds  and  our  hands,  and  all  the  sympathies  of  our 
hearts;  but,  in  the  exercise  of  these  powers,  we  have  suppressed  the 
rebellion,  and  to-day  we  have  peace.  [Applause.]  In  securing  that 
peace,  it  is  true,  we  have  laid  our  sons  and  brothers  upon  a  hundred 
battle-fields  in  death;  it  is  true  that  our  honored  President  has  been 
struck  down  by  the  assassin's  hand,  and  mourning  and  sorrow  have 
spreiui  all  over  our  land,  and  reached  our  brethren  in  foreign,  lands. 
But  to-day,  blessed  be  God,  we  turn  from  that  past  which  has  occupied 
our  attention,  with  cheerfrd  hearts,  to  engage  in  a  cause  more  welcome 
to  our  hearts,  —  quite  as  dear  and  quite  as  important  to  the  interests  of 
Christianity  as  those  duties  in  which  we  have  hitherto  been  engaged. 
And  we  meet  in  council  to-day  to  take  measures  to  plant  New  England, 
with  all  her  educational  and  all  her  Christian  institutions,  in  the  great 
West,  and  in  the  South,  and  in  all  parts  of  this  land,  in  spite  of  the  obstacles 
which  stand  in  our  way,  which  were  presented  so  eloquently  and  ably 
by  the  gentleman  [Bev.  Dr.  Sturtevant]  who  addressed  us  this  morning. 
[Applauses]  We  are  grateful  that  in  such  an  hour  as  this,  the  minds 
of  Christian  brethren  in  our  mother-country,  and  in  other  countries,  are 
turned  with  interest  toward  us;  and  we  are  happy  to  greet  you  here 
to-day,  and  to  receive  from  you  those  messages  of  sympathy  and  Chris- 
tian afi^tion  which  we  know  come  from  those  whom  we  love,  holding, 
with  us,  Christ  as  the  common  head  of  the  living  church.    We  shall  be 

5 


66  ADDRESS   OF   DR.   VAUGHAK. 

happy,  brethren,  to  listen  to  you  at  this  hour,  and  to  receive  from  your 
own  lips  such  words  as  you  shall  be  pleased  to  utter. 

REPLY  OF  REV.  ROBERT  VAX7GHAN,  D.  D.,  OF  LONDON,  ENGLAND. 

My  dear  and  honored  Brethren, — I  have  come  very  far  to  see  you,  to 
look  you  in  the  face,  to  shake  you  by  the  hand,  and  to  tell  you  of  the 
friendly  thoughts,  and  of  the  honest  sympathies,  which  are  cherished 
toward  you  by  multitudes  in  the  land  that  I  have  left.  Our  assembly, 
representing  the  Congregational  churches  of  England  and  Wales,  ap- 
pointed my  friend  Dr.  Baleigh  and  myself  as  delegates  to  this  body,  — 
calling  us  from  our  homes  and  our  work,  solely  that  we  might  appear 
in  your  midst;  and  we  are  here,  rejoicing  in  the  thought  that  in  you 
we  see  the  representatives  of  nearly  3,000  American  Congregational 
churches  ;  and  we  feel  thankftil  in  being  able  to  assure  you,  that  in  us 
you  see  the  representatives  of  nearly  the  same  number  of  churches  of 
the  same  faith  and  order  irf  the  old  country.  [Applause.]  Those 
churches  have  deputed  us  to  express  to  you  on  this  occasion  their  most 
cordial  greeting.  They  have  laid  it  ui)on  us  to  assure  you  of  their  sincere 
sympathy  with  every  thing  touching  your  welfare  as  American  Congre- 
gationalists,  and  with  every  thing  pertaining  to  the  social  and  to  the  reli- 
gious interests  of  your  great  country.  I  ought  to  assure  you  that  the 
members  of  the  Congregational  Union  of  England  and  "Wales  are  men 
who  always  have  been,  and  are  now,  so  far  as  my  knowledge  goes,  to  a 
man,  opposed  to  the  slave  system,  —  men  who  have  pronounced  it  to  be 
an  unchristian,  unrighteous,  and  iniquitous  system,  that  should  die,  that 
must  perish.  [Applause.]  They  did  not  all  of  them  see,  as  you  may 
perhaps  have  been  aware,  in  the  earlier  stages  of  your  struggle,  what 
policy  was  the  best  for  your  country  and  for  the  slave;  but  there  was  no 
difference  in  them,  arising  from  one  portion  being  friends  of  your  coun- 
try, and  the  other  not.  No  such  difference  existed.  They  were  all 
your  friends,  whether  mistaken  in  judgment  or  right  in  judgment;  and 
now,  to  a  man,  they  receive  the  issues  of  your  great  struggle,  looking 
upon  them  as  having  come  to  pass  under  the  influence  of  a  higher  hand 
than  the  hand  of  a  man.  They  congratulate  you  upon  the  extinction  of 
that  system  that  brought  on  the  war,  and  rqjoice  in  the  prospect  of  the 
better  days  which  they  believe  to  be  waiting  humanity  here  and  human- 
ity every  where,  through  you.    [Applause.] 

Mr.  Chairman,  in  brief,  there  are  not  upon  God's  earth  —  no,  not 
upon  God's  earth  —  hearts  beating  more  truly  toward  this  country,  more 
as  a  brother's  heart  should  beat,  than  the  hearts  of  the  men  who  consti- 
tute the  Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales.  [Applause.] 
Being  confident  of  this,  I  ffeel  it  laid  upon  me  truly  to  say  it 

And  now,  sir,  when  I  look  ui)on  this  vast  assembly,  and  remember 
what  is  represented  by  it,  I  have  some  memories  rushing  upon  me,  — 
thoughts  which  I  should  like  to  find  words  to  express,  but  which  I  am 
sure  I  can  not  find  words  to  express  adequately.  I  must,  however,  ven- 
ture to  remind  our  friends  that  this  Congregationalism,  of  which  we  have 


ADDRESS   OF    DR.    VAUGHAN.  67 

been  hearing  so  much,  is  distinctly  and  emphatically  English.  [Loud 
laughter  and  applause.]  I  mean  what  I  say.  Its  revival  in  the  modem 
church  was  left  to  be  brought  about  by  English  thought  and  English 
piety,  after  it  had  been  lost  to  the  church  for  more  than  a  thousand  years. 
The  men  who  were  to  discover  this  were  men  —  a  small  band  —  devoted 
and  brave  in  their  generation.  The  mediseval  Christianity  that  prevailed 
in  England  before  the  Reformation,  as  you  all  know,  came  from  Rome. 
The  Church  of  England,  too,  as  we  now  have  it,  good  people  as  there 
are  in  it,  is  an  establishment  that  may  fairly  be  described  as  greatly 
more  mediaeval  than  Protestant.  And  even  Presbyterianism  is  an  exotic 
in  England;  it  did  not  grow  there;  it  can  hardly  be  said  to  ever  have 
had  any  root  there;  it  has  tried  to  live  there,  but  has  found  it  very  hard 
to  do  so.  [Laughter.]  But  there  was  to  be  a  body  of  men,  as  I  have 
said,  in  the  time  of  Elizabeth,  and  subsequently,  separating  from  the 
established  church.  The  men  who  became  exiles  under  Queen  Mary, 
and  returned  under  Elizabeth,  brought  Presbyterianism  from  Frankfort 
and  Greneva,  and  they  tried  to  give  it  root  in  the  country;  but  it  could 
not  be  made  to  take  root  there,  —  it  could  not  be  made  permanent  there. 
But  the  separatists  were  men  who  began  to  tiiirst  for  that  larger  kind  of 
liberty  which  our  Congregationalism  gives  to  the  human  spirit  That 
thirst  rose  within  them,  they  scarcely  knew  how;  but  Congregationalism 
was  to  them  like  the  waters  of  Bethlehem  to  the  parched  lips  of  David: 
they  must  have  it  or  die.  [Applause.]  What  God  did  in  them  as  spirit- 
ual men,  and  what  circumstances  did  around  them,  persecuting  them  at 
all  points,  fitted  them  for  going  to  the  New  Testament,  and  discovering 
there  the  very  polity  which  they  felt  they  needed,  as  the  polity  of  the  first 
churches  bearing  the  apostolic  sanction. 

Now,  you  know  very  well,  for  you  have  heard  it  to-day,  that  a  portion 
of  those  holy  men,  worn  and  wearied  by  the  trials  of  that  country  that 
would  not  give  them  liberty,  came  to  this  land  in  search  of  a  home.  Not 
far  from  this  did  they  put  their  feet  for  the  first  time  upon  these  shores; 
and  here  they  were,  as  you  know,  to  create  a  great  fliture.  A  portion  of 
those  men  remained  in  England;  and  there  they  had  to  make,  and  did 
make,  a  history  for  themselves,  —  a  history  of  which  we  who  have  de- 
scended from  them  are  by  no  means  ashamed.  [Applause.]  The  man 
does  not  deserve  the  name  of  Englishman,  who  is  not  proud  of  that 
period  in  his  nation's  history,  when  the  high-souled  thought  and  passion 
of  a  great  people  went  forth  through  the  genius  of  a  Cromwell  and  a  Mil- 
ton. [Loud  applause.]  "We  are  doing  something  now  in  England  to 
bring  up  these  old  names,  associated  with  these  principles  of  Congrega- 
tionalism, and  marvelously  chagrined  are  many  around  us  at  the  thought 
that  we  can  plead  such  a  noble  ancestry;  but  we  mean  to  hold  to  it. 
[Applause.] 

But,  sir,  I  see  in  this  bit  of  history,  in  which  we  are  now  both  inter- 
ested, something  that  presents  itself  to  my  imagination  like  the  fiow  of 
some  ancient  river.  I  see  its  waters  up  in  some  far  back  territory, 
divided  into  two  streams,  and  these  two  streams  widen  their  way 
apart,  through  their  separate  beds,  until,  after  a  long  <fipace,  they  are 


68  ADDRESS   OF    DR.   VAU6HAN. 

seen  verging  toward  each  other,  and  finally  the  waters  meet  and  are 
one  again;  and  then  roll  on  with  greater  force  than  ever,  as  if  joyous  at 
the  meeting.  Here  are  the  two  streams:  your  stream  of  Congregation- 
alism in  America,  our  stream  in  England;  and  to-day,  sir,  the  two 
come  together,  and  we  are  one.  [Loud  applause.]  Will  you  excuse  me 
if  I  ask  you  to  give  me  your  hand  in  token  of  this  union?  [The  mod- 
erator and  the  speaker  clasped  hands  amid  enthusiastic  applause.]  This 
is  a  happy  day,  to  me,  sir!  May  the  power  be  powerless  and  fall,  come 
whence  it  may,  that  would  ever  divide  men  whom  God  has  joined 
together  by  a  conmion  blood  and  a  common  faith!    [Applause.] 

But,  my  friends,  our  Congregationalism  is  an  infant  in  years  com- 
pared with  what  it  is  to  be.  It  has,  beyond  all  other  systems,  pro- 
nounced upon  the  grand  question  of  the  union  of  church  and  state.  The 
early  settlers  of  this  coimtry,  indeed,  were  placed  in  peculiar  circum- 
stances, and  if  they  did  not  see  every  thing  in  relation  to  this  principle  at 
once,  it  was  sure  to  be  seen;  and  at  this  moment  I  could,  were  this  the 
place  for  doing  it,  direct  your  attention  to  what  is  passing  in  Europe, 
which  shows  very  clearly  that  the  first  order  of  minds  in  Europe  are 
beginning  to  find  their  way  to  our  principle  of  English  independency,  as 
presenting  the  grand  secret  by  means  of  which  to  put  an  end  to  that 
broil  of  ages,  —  the  mingling  of  the  ecclesiastical  with  the  civil.  "We 
have  Emperor  marshaled  against  Pope,  and  Pope  against  Emperor;  we 
have  hierarchies  rising  against  nationalities,  and  nationalities  rising 
against  hierarchies.  We  have  men  coming  forth  not  merely  from 
schools  of  theology,  but  from  the  departments  of  high  statesmanship,  — 
such  men  as  Guizot  and  Laboulaye,  —  and  afllrming,  in  their  own  way, 
that  the  great  principle  by  which  an  end  is  to  be  put  to  this  protracted 
strife  is  the  principle  by  which  men  learn  to  give  unto  God  the  things 
which  are  God's,  while  they  give  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  his. 
Our  friend,  M.  Monod,  can  tell  you  a  little  how  French  thought  is  work- 
ing in  this  direction ;  what  M.  Bersier  and  M.  Pressensd  and  others,  are 
doing  to  illuminate  the  French  mind  upon  this  great  principle.  Then 
there  is  M.  Vinet,  a  man  who,  coming  out  from  an  order  of  things  very 
unlike  ours,  was  brought,  by  the  influence  of  light,  to  embrace  the  prin- 
ciple we  hold.  The  great  Cavour  learned  to  take  up  the  maxim, ''  A 
free  church  in  a  free  state,"  as  what  the  people  want  "  Yery  good  as 
far  as  it  goes,"  say  some,  more  enlightened  yet  "  Free  churches  in  a 
free  state  —  that  is  what  we  want."  [Applause.]  You  can  never  have 
owe  church  in  any  state  that  would  not  be  a  favoritism  to  some,  and  a 
wrong  to  others.  You  must  look  to  a  grand  tolerance  of  variety,  more 
or  less,  if  there  is  to  be  really  a  system  of  liberty  for  men;  and  our 
principles  go  in  that  direction. 

But,  sir,  I  will  not  detain  you  longer.  I  should  not  have  said  this 
much  but  that,  when  a  man  comes  across  the  Atlantic  to  speak  half  an 
hour,  perhaps  he  may  have  it    [Laughter,  and  calls  of  "  Go  on."] 

Your  country  has  passed  through  trouble;  but  let  it  be  remembered, 
dear  brethren,  that  since  those  dark  days  of  the  war  of  independence, 
you  have  knows  nothing  of  what  trouble  means.    Through  that  long 


ADDRESS   OF  DR.   VAUOHAK.  69 

interval,  until  within  the  last  three  or  four  years,  your  history  has  been 
one  unbroken  flow  of  prosperity.  And  will  you  bear  with  me  in,  sa3ring, 
that  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  prosperity  alone  to  raise  a  nation  to  all  the 
greatness  of  which  a  nation  is  capable?  Individuals  and  communities 
are  ripened  by  other  influences^into  higher  forms  of  manhood.  It  is  very 
instructive,  as  you  know,  to  see  what  the  finiits  are  that  a  good  man 
brings  out  of  his  trouble,  —  the  broader  thought,  the  calmer  self-posses- 
sion, the  wiser  patience  and  considerateness,  the  higher  development  of 
the  richer  tones  of  man's  nature.  Nations  may  have  that,  —  God  means 
that  you  shall  have  it  He  is  doing  by  you  as  he  does  by  many  more. 
The  result  will  be  that  for  which  your  children  will  be  grateful.  We 
sympathize  with  you  in  what  you  have  had  to  bear.  Misconceptions  of 
all  kinds  have  been  brought  against  you,  —  some  in  quarters  where  you 
might  have  expected  them,  others  in  quarters  where  you  might  have 
expected  better  things:  you  have  had  to  bear  these.  Malignity,  in  all 
forms  and  grades,  has  leveled  its  envenomed  shafts  at  you,  and  that,  too, 
in  your  hour  of  trial:  you  have  had  to  bear  that  And  the  dastard 
villanj^s  of  assassination  have  been  allowed  to  place  their  ingredients  in 
the  cup  which  you  have  had  to  drink.  But  be  of  good  cheer,  brethren  I 
The  dark  day  is  past,  and  the  day  to  come  will  be  brighter.  Many  who 
did  not  see  your  case  at  first,  could  not  see  it  as  it  really  was,  have  come 
to  see  it  as  it  is.  Many  who  prophesied  that  if  a  strain  like  that  which 
has  come  upon  your  institutions  were  once  to  come  upon  them,  they 
would  snap  asunder,  and  proclaim  their  emptiness  and  worthlessness  to 
the  world,  have  proved  false  prophets,  as  you  know.  The  strain  has 
come;  the  snap  has  not  taken  place;  the  institutions  are  here  on  a  more 
solid  rock  than  before.  And  this  takes  place  in  the  sight  of  all  the 
nations.  It  has  gone  forth  wherever  a  freeman  is  found,  or  the  friends 
of  freedom,  like  a  new  song  of  hope  for  humanity;  and  it  has  gone  to  the 
homes  of  the  oppressor  like  a  knell  of  despair.  Your  victory  is  ours; 
your  progress  is  ours.  Man's  fate  is  bound  up  not  a  little  with  your 
fate.  Never  forget  that  You  have  now  coming  upon  you  new  duties. 
Your  armies  have  gained  victories  that  have  placed  you  in  the  foremost 
rank  of  nations  in  that  respect  What  so  fitting  now  as  that  you  show 
that  you  are  capable  of  realizing  the  victories  of  peace,  if  need  be,  at  a 
cost  as  great  as  that  which  has  been  involved  in  the  victories  of  war? 
Let  this  be  done,  and  the  reputation,  the  honorable  name  of  your  coun- 
try will  be  greater  than  ever,  and  institutions  like  yours  have  a  fairer 
chance  of  becoming  the  institutions  of  men  than  they  have  ever  possessed 
in  the  history  of  the  world.  Count  it  not  a  hard  thing  to  be  summoned 
to  this  work.  It  is  because  the  God  of  your  fathers  means  to  make  you 
honorable  and  useful  in  the  earth  that  he  has  summoned  you  to  it  That 
luxuriant  South  has  destroyed  the  Spaniard,  from  the  day  when  he  first 
put  his  foot  upon  the  soil  down  to  now,  while  this  hardy  North  has  ^-^ 
reinvigorated  the  Anglo-Saxon.  Nations  are  wasted,  swept  away  as  Hi 
worthless,  by  being  allowed  to  live  in  ease  and  indulgence.  They  are 
made  strong  by  being  compelled  to  do,  to  dare,  and  to  suffer.  If  these 
things  be  so,  then  have  you  not  encouragement?    Your  ship  has  weath- 


70  ADDRESS   OF  DR.    VAUGHAN. 

ered  this  storm,  as  that  old  ship  from  whose  deck  I  have  just  come  has 
weathered  many  a  storm  before,  and  she  is  none  the  worse  for  it  No, 
that  land  is  far  better  to-day  than  it  has  been  since  the  days  of  which  I 
was  speaking  just  now,  — the  days  of  our  Cromwell  and  Alilton.  When 
you  were  brought  into  your  trouble  by  the  high  tory  faction,  —  a  church 
and  king  tyranny, — that  rule  was  extended  over  us,  and  far  into  the  pres- 
ent century;  but  it  is  gone,  gone  forever.  Then  we  were  under  the  regime 
of  the  Corporation  and  Test  Acts,  which  excluded  every  Englishman 
from  every  office  in  which  he  could  serve  his  country,  imless  he  were 
prepared  to  take  the  sacrament  according  to  the  forms  prescribed  by  the 
Church  of  England.  That  impious  tyranny  is  no  more.  The  Catholic 
then  asked,  and  asked  from  year  to  year,  without  a  prospect  of  success, 
to  be  allowed  to  have  a  voice,  through  men  of  his  faith,  on  the  floor  of 
the  House  of  Commons.  That  exclusion,  too,  no  longer  exists.  Our 
House  of  Conmions,  too,  through  the  influence  of  our  peers,  in  their 
nomination  boroughs,  could  be  so  packed  by  nobles  as  to  be  the  peers' 
house  ratber  than  the  people^s  house.  The  great  Reform  Bill  has  made 
all  our  statesmen  understand,  that  to  create  a  majority  in  our  Hoase  of 
Conmions  is  the  work  of  the  people,  and  that  where  that  majority  is, 
there  the  power  of  the  realm  is  to  be  found.  Our  municipal  corporations 
were  all  close,  consisting  of  men  who  had  passed  through  the  Test- Act 
•process  to  get  there,  and  who  filled  up  vacancies  among  themselves. 
Now,  our  townsmen  and  citizens  choose  all  these  functionaries  by  fair 
and  open  sufl^age;  and  the  consequence  is,  that  the  municipal  power  of 
the  country  has  passed,  to  a  large  extent,  into  the  hands  of  the  Congre- 
gationalists.  So,  too,  it  has  been  in  other  ways.  Education  has  ad- 
vanced marvelously  beyond  what  it  was.  Cheap  and  good  literature  is 
flooding  the  country  to  an  extent  that  is  almost  incredible,  and  the 
result  is,  we  have  working-classes  now  so  well  educated,  that,  if  we  were 
to  be  a  republic  to-morrow,  we  should  have  nothing  to  fear.  [^'  Hear, 
hear,"  and  applause.]  This  is  everywhere  obvious  to  those  who  know 
what  our  country  is.  Beally,  paradoxical  as  it  may  sound,  I  can 
venture  to  say,  old  England  was  never  so  yowig  as  at  this  day. 
[Laughter.] 

Why  do  I  touch  upon  this?  Is  it  in  mere  boastfulness?  O,  God 
forbid!  God  forbid!  It  is  from  God,  not  from  any  desert  of  ours,  that  I 
am  able  here,  upon  your  platform,  to  speak  thus  of  that  dear  home  of 
mine.  God  has  done  it  for  us,  and  will  do  more.  Our  march  began 
with  the  early  years  of  this  century,  and  take  care  that  we  do  not  catch 
you  before  the  end  of  it.  [Laughter  and  applause.]  But  I  will  only 
now  say,  sir,  that  the  grand  mission,  I  think,  that  God  is  showing  to  us, 
—  your  country  and  ours,  —  is  that  we  shall  demonstrate  that  we  have 
been  made  free  that  we  might  delight  to  make  others  free.  All  that  I 
have  said  has  been  intended  to  show  to  you  how  admirably  the  two 
countries  are  mated  for  this  great  mission;  and  if  it  should  be  given  to  us 
to  see  that  this  is  what  Providence  would  seem  to  have  devolved  upon 
us,  who  can  tell  the  result?  But  my  last  word  to  you  is  this:  This  will 
not  be  but  as  the  good  men  of  this  land,  and  the  good  men  of  our  land, 


COMMITTEES.  71 

resolve  that  with  God's  help  it  shall  be.  There  will  be  bad  men  with  yon, 
there  will  be  bad  men  with  ns,  and  we  mnst  not  lean  npon  the  conscious- 
ness that  our  cause  is  good,  and  allow  the  bad  to  triumph.  We  must 
feel  that  we  have  to  watch  against  it,  to  neutralize  it,  and  to  endeavor  in 
every  possible  way  to  secure  amity  between  England  wid  America,  that 
they  may  be  one  for  no  selfish  purpose,  but  one  for  Grod  and  human- 
ity. The  Union  Jack  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  must  float  in  every 
harbor  of  the  world;  the  commodities  of  your  country  and  of  mine  must 
be  exposed  in  competition  in  all  the  markets  of  the  globe;  and  one  only* 
needs  to  look  back  to  the  history  of  England  and  Holland  two  hundred 
years  ago,  to  pe;:ceive  how  much  there  must  be  in  the  relations  of  two 
such  nations,  calling  on  both  sides  for  a  superiority  to  all  little  irritating 
things,  and  for  a  breadth  of  manhood  that  will  not  be  offended  by  trifles, 
but  will  know  how  to  subordinate  them  to  great  principles  and  to  duty. 
[Loud  applause.] 

BUSINESS  COMMITTEES. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  chairman  of  the  committee  on  Nominar 
tions,  reported  the  following  as  the  committees  of  the  Coimcil :  — 

COMMITTEE  ON  BUSINESS.  " 

Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts;  Rev.  Samuel  Wolcott,  d.  d., 
of  Ohio;  Rev.  Benjamin  Labaree,  D.D.,  of  Vermont;  Dea.  Philo  Carpen- 
ter, of  Illinois;  Dea.  Samuel  F.  Drury,  of  Michigan. 

COMMITTEE  ON  DEVOTIONAIj  EXERCISES. 

Rev.  Edward  N.  Kirk,  D.D.,  of  Boston;  Rev.  Wm.  De  Loss  Love,  of 
Wisconsin;  Rev.  Asa  Turner,  of.  Iowa;  Rev.  George  E.  Adams,  D.  D., 
of  Maijie;  Dea.  Daniel  H.  Parker,  of  New  Hampshire. 

COMMITTEE  ON  FINANCE. 

Dea.  Charles  Stoddard,  of  Massachusetts;  Henry  C.  Bo  wen,  of  New 
York;  E.  Beecher  Preston,  of  Connecticut;  Hon.  Douglas  Putnam,  of 
Ohio;  Dea.  Moses  Pettengill,  of  Illinois. 

COMMITTEE  ON  PRINTINCk 

Rev.  James  B.  Miles,  of  Massachusetts;  Rev.  John  C.  Holbrook,  d.  d., 
of  New  York;  Dea.  Elnathan  F.  Duren,  of  Maine. 

ADDITIONAL  SECRETARY. 

Rev.  Elihu  P.  Marvin,  of  Massachusetts,  in  place  of  Mr.  Atkins. 

ADDRESS  OF  REV.  ALEXANDER  RALEIGH,  D.  D.,  OF  LONDON,  ENGLAND. 

Rev.  Dr.  Raleigh,  having  been  called  upon  to  address  the 
convention,  said :  — 

Mr,  Moderator^  —  I  am  perfectly  sensible  of  the  value  of  the  time  of 
this  assembly,  and  therefore  I  am  loath  to  present  myself,  especially 
after  my  venerated  Mend,Dr.yaughan,has  spoken  so  long  and  so  well; 


I 


72  ADDRESS   OF    DR.    RALEIGH. 

but  I,  too,  have  come  across  the  Atlantic  to  say  something,  if  1  may  be 
allowed  a  very  short  space  of  your  time,  for  others,  as  well  as  for  myself; 
for  others,  because  they  are  pleased  to  judge  that  in  the  main  my  thought 
would  be  theirs. 

It  is  impossible  to  meet  you  here  without  thinking  and  speaking  of 
the  last  four  years.  Those  years  speak  themselves  so  loudly,  and  lead 
so.  far  into  future  time,  that  imless  one  shall  catch  some  of  their  voice, 
and  chime  in  with  their  solemn  and  grand  tones,  it  is  a  mere  imperti- 
nence to  profess  to  speak  at  all.  I  want  to  speak  to  you  for  a  few  min- 
utes of  those  last  four  years;  and  to  tell  you,  if  I  can,  how  intense  an 
interest  has  been  in  the  hearts  of  many  of  us,  in  all  you  have  been  doing, 
attempting,  achieving,  suflfering;  what  a  joy  we  have  sometimes  had,  and 
sometimes  what  an  agony  of  sympathy  we  have  felt,  as  your  fortunes 
have  been  rising  or  falling  during  those  memorable  years.  It  is  literally 
true  that  we  have  had  you  in  our  hearts.  Perhaps  no  single  day  of  those 
four  years  has  passed,  in  which  some  of  our  best  and  most  sacred 
thoughts,  —  thoughts  ever  ready  to  melt  into  feeling  or  rise  into  prayer,  — 
have  not  been  with  you  here,  upon  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  We  have 
serenaded  your  president,  a  martyr  now.  Peace  to  his  ashes,  eternal 
honor  to  his  memory.  We  have  camped  with  your  soldiers  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac,  listening  to  the  rippling  of  the  river,  and  looking 
up  into  the  glittering  stars.  We  have  watched  the  dark  tide  of  battle 
rise  and  fall  upon  those  blood-red  fields  to  which  you  have  given  undy- 
ing names.  We  have  rejoiced  with  you  in  your  victories.  We  have 
wept  with  you  over  your  slain. 

I  know  some  of  you  say,  in  a  kindly  way,  —  I  have  heard  it  more  than 
once  since  I  came  — "If  this  is  so,  we  are  sorry  we  did  not  know  it  more 
fully."  [Applause.]  Well,  I  shall  be  honest:  I  am  sorry  too.  [Re- 
newed applause.]  I  am  sorry  you  did  not  know  it  more  ftdly  and  more 
seasonably;  but  I  give  you  the  word  of  an  honest  man  that  it  is  not  the 
less  true  upon  that  account  We  did  not  understand  your  circumstan- 
ces; and  I  do  not  think  you  have  quite  understood  ours. 

The  truth  is,  —  and  I  do  not  suppose  any  of  us  have  the  least  interest 
in  concealing  the  truth,  —  we  have  not  all  been  of  one  mind  in  reference 
to  some  of  the  exterior  aspects  of  your  question;  and  we  have  taken  the 
English  and  American  liberty  of  expressing  our  thoughts  and  opinions. 
A  great  many  of  us  have  been  with  you  from  the  beginning,  and  through 
and  through.  [Applause.]  We  have  believed  that  your  cause  was 
right,  and  that  you  were  promoting  it,  in  the  main,  in  the  right  way,  —  in 
the  only  way  in  which  it  could  be  efiectually  promoted  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. We  have  thought  your  end  good,  and  we  have  thought 
your  means  necessary.  We  have  judged  that  you  were  fighting  for  us, 
as  well  as  for  yourselves;  for  liberty  against  slavery;  for  good  govern- 
ment against  political  misrule;  for  morality  against  many  social  shames; 
for  peace  over  this  continent,  and  through  the  whole  earth.  Instead  of 
falling  in  with  the  vulgar  and  hypocritical  cry  against  the  "  War  Chris- 
tians," which  some  newspaper  correspondents  upon  this  side  of  the  water 
have  attempted  to  raise  against  you,  we  have  judged  that  if  the  war  be 


ADDRESS   OF  DR.   RALEIGH.  78 

in  itself  just  and  necessary,  it  would  better  be  in  the  hands  of  Christians 
than  in  the  hands  of  other  men.  [Applause.]  And  why?  Because  we 
have  felt  that  they  will  conduct  it  without  personal  animosity;  that  they 
will  soothe  its  inevitable  horrors  and  miseries  with  Christian  sympathy; 
that  they  will  treat  the  vanquished  with  humanity;  that  they  will  soothe 
the  agonies  of  the  dying,  and  bury  the  dead  with  honor.  We  have  felt 
that  they  might  be  trusted,  on  the  one  hand,  not  to  cease  from  the  war 
so  long  as  it  should  be  necessary,  and  thus  betray  interests  far  more 
precious  to  humanity  than  a  few  years  of  human  life;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  not  to  continue  it  one  hour  beyond  the  time  when  with  safety  and 
honor  it  might  cease.    These  have  been  our  views. 

Others  among  us,  feeling  not  less  kindly  to  you,  have  had  many  diffi- 
culties,— really  you  should  not  be  surprised  at  this,  for  you  have  had 
them  among  yourselves, — difficulties  with  regard  to  state  rights,  and 
what  not;  in  relation  to  your  central  federal  power,  and  in  relation  to 
accomplishing  good  by  means  of  evil.  Those  doubts  have  been  hanging 
upon  the  minds  of  some  of  our  thoughtful  and  serious  men.  I  am  thank- 
ftil  I  never  shared  them  to  any  appreciable  extent  myself.  I  saw  your 
way  — just  the  way  you  have  taken  —  in  all  these  difficulties,  just  as  I 
saw  my  way  in  faith  and  hope  through  some  of  the  thick  fogs  through 
which  we  passed  upon  the  Atlantic  in  coming  to  your  hospitable  West- 
em  shores.  But  I  claimed  the  liberty  for  those  who  had  these  doubts  to 
have  them  if  they  felt  they  must;  and  temperately  to  express  them, 
and  to  hold  them  until,  by  human  argument  or  by  Divine  Providence, 
they  should  be  disputed  and  set  aside.  "  Charity  believeth  all  things, 
hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things.'' 

Now  we  want  to  strike  hands  in  peace,  friendship,  and  co-operation  in 
our  great  Master's  work.  We  all  yield  to  the  logic  of  events.  We  all 
accept  the  facts  of  the  present  hour.  I  think  I  may  say  that  now  we 
are  all  glad  that  you  have  triumphed.  Dr.  Yaughan  has  borne  true  tes-  / 
timony  that  there  is  not  a  man  among  us  Congregationalists,  that  would  j 
have  had  a  thought  of  any  thing  but  sorrow  and  shame  at  the  triumph 
of  the  South  over  you.  We  are  all  glad  that  you  have  triumphed; 
glad  that  you  did  not  give  up  your  work  until  it  was  done;  glad  that 
you  refused  to  listen  to  those  alluring  overtures  of  peace  proffered  to  you 
by  men  among  your  own  ranks  and  by  others  from  abroad,  while  yet 
there  lay  in  the  very  heart  of  the  South  the  principles  of  eternal  rebellion 
and  war;  and  glad,  above  all,  to  recognize,  as  my  venerated  friend  has  so 
taUj  done,  the  action  of  a  superior  Power;  glad  to  think  how  much  God 
has  taken  this  matter  into  his  own  hands.  It  was  in  his  providence,  if  not 
by  his  direct  ordination,  that  there  came  so  early  in  this  struggle  this  par- 
tial chill  of  some  portion  of  British  sympathy.  You  were  taught  by  this 
a  precious  lesson, — a  lesson  you  will  never  forget,  and  for  which  the  whole 
world  will  be  the  better,  — the  lesson  of  complete  self-reliance  in  doing 
that  which  you  felt  was  necessary  to  be  done.  [Applause]  And  your  great 
enemy  was  thus,  I  believe,  led  on  and  on,  until  he  put  all  upon  the  final 
cast,  and  brought  on  the  overwhelming  and  glorious  end.  Oh,  He  is 
wonderful  in  counsel  and  excellent  in  working. 


74     '  ADDRESS   OF   DR.    RALEIGH. 

I  wish  I  could  tell  you  with  how  much  cordiality  we  have  been  sent 
to  you,  and  with  how  much  earnest  and  loving  desire  we  came.  I  have 
attended  many  meetings  of  the  Congregational  Union  of  England  and 
Wales,  and  I  have  seen,  in  my  time,  some  pleasant  excitements,  some 
enthusiasms;  but  I  cannot  remember  any  thing  at  all  approaching  the 
unbounded  enthusiasm  and  the  excitement  with  which  the  subject  of  our 
relation  to  you  and  your  churches  was  entertained  and  settled  at  the 
meeting  of  the  last  month.  It  was  as  if  long  pent-up  waters  had  es- 
caped at  last.  It  was  as  if  our  love  —  we  hardly  know  how,  strangely 
to  some  of  us,  and  not  with  our  will  —  had  been  kept  in  by  restrictions; 
but  the  hour  came  at  length;  and  then  I  only  wish  you  could  have  been 
there  to  see  how  that  sober,  quiet,  deliberative  assembly  became  in  a 
few  minutes  like  your  Niagara.  "We  seemed  to  have  solved  the  prob- 
lem of  the  Atlantic  telegraph  before  it  had  been  laid;  and  it  seemed 
that  we  were  sending  waves  of  cordiality  to  your  shores,  instead  of  a 
few  solitary  men  like  my  friend  and  myselfl 

Eeceive  us.  "We  come  in  truth  and  sincerity.  "  "We  be  true  men;  thy 
servants  be  no  spies."  [Applause.]  We  come  to  behold  neither  the 
nakedness  nor  the  fullness  of  your  land.  We  rejoice  in  the  beneficence 
of  your  constitution,  the  stability  of  your  laws,  the  loyalty  of  your  citi- 
zens, the  indomitable  courage  of  your  soldiers,  the  education  of  your 
common  people,  the  increase  of  your  population.  We  rejoice  —  I  do, 
for  I  love  every  growing  thing  —  in  your  vast  plains,  although  we  have 
not  seen  them  yet,  your  wide-stretching  prairies,  every  wind  of  which 
sings  the  song  of  freedom.  We  rejoice  in  your  moimtains  and  rivers 
and  lakes  and  seas.  God  has  brought  you  into  a  goodly  land;  foun- 
tains and  depths  springing  out  of  valleys  and  hills;  a  land  of  wheat  and 
barley,  and  vines,  and  fig-trees,  and  pomegranates;  a  land  of  oil  and  wine, 
[SeeDeut.  8:  8.]  Only  beware, — we  say  this  with  sorrowful  memory 
of  our  own  failures,  —  beware  lest  thou  forget  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord  thy  God,  which  he  doth  command  thee  again  this  day  in  the 
Bolenm  hour  of  trial,  and  under  the  solemnities  of  Sinai  itself. 

Receive  us,  I  say;  and  make  with  us  a  covenant  of  peace,  this  day; 
and  let  us  go  home,  and  say  we  know  you  have  made  it  in  your  hearts. 
Oh,  my  heart  trembles  and  is  afraid,  when  I  draw  with  Uie  finger  of 
imagination  the  scenes  that  would  rise  upon  an  astonished  world  if  these 
two  great  people  were  to  fall  into  deadly  strife.  My  heart  trembles, 
not  with  any  craven  fear.  I  am  an  Englishman;  at  least  I  am  a  Scotch- 
man, and  that  is  still  better.  [Applause.]  '  But  I  know  my  countiy- 
men;  and  I  know  that  like  yours  they  are  incapable  of  fear,  in  a  mat- 
ter which  touches  the  honor  or  the  life  of  the  nation.  We  are  of  your 
own  metal.  Now  judge  our  hearts  by  that,  and  test  them.  Judge 
by  that  what  a  war  must  be,  if  there  be  the  pith  of  England  upon  the 
one  side,  and  the  resources  of  America  upon  the  other:  too  shocking  a 
thing  to  be  imagined.  I  want  peace  with  my  whole  heart.  I  know  it  is 
vain  to  say,  "  Peace,  peace,"  when  there  is  no  peace.  "First  pure,  then 
peaceable."  Justice  comes  before  peace,  and  must  be  its  base.  If  in 
any  thing  we  have  wronged  you,  and  if  you  can  make  it  good  before  the 


ADDBE8S   OF  DB.   MA8SIE.  75 

judgment  of  mankind,  or  even  to  om*  own  moral  conscioimness,  we  will 
use  all  our  influence  that  your  wrongs  may  be  righted,  whatever  they 
may  be.  [Applause.]  And  if  you  have  wronged  us,  you  must  do  the 
same.  [Benewed  applause.]  This  we  can  do.  We  can  resolve  that 
all  such  difficulties— and  I  shall  not  allude  to  them  more  particularly  — 
shall  be  taken  up  and  considered  in  the  spirit  of  Christian  justice  and 
charity.    A  war  need  not  be.    A  war  cannot  be  without  great  mutual  sin. 

What  can  any  man  propose  by  such  a  war?  What  can  any  statesman 
propose  to  gain?  What  could  we  do  to  each  other?  I  will  tell  you 
what  we  cotdd  do.  We  could  sweep  the  commerce  of  both  nations  from 
the  sea.  We  could  ensanguine  the  waves  Uiat  usually  roU  so  peacefully 
between  us.  We  could  add  to  the  already  too  long  list  of  the  weald's 
battle-fields.  We  could  multiply  widows  and  orphans,  and  swell  the 
dark  tide  of  misery  in  both  lands.  We  could  cast  into  the  unknown 
future,  seeds  of  evil,  which  our  children  and  children's  children  will  cer^ 
tainly  reap  when  we  are  in  our  graves.  But  what  benefit  of  any  kind 
could  be  proposed  by  such  a  strife,  how  it  could  be  thought  in  any  way 
to  help  justice,  fairness,  humanity,  or  religion,  I  cannot  telL  May  the 
Grod  of  peace  bruise  Satan  under  our  feet  shortly.  May  He  turn  the  heart 
of  England  to  America,  and  the  heart  of  America  to  England,  lest  He 
come  and  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse. 

FinaUy,  I  may  say  again,  like  my  venerated  brother,  we  bid  you  God 
speed  in  your  blessed  work.  It  is  a  work  that  wiU  require  all  your  wis- 
dom, all  your  patience,  all  your  love;  and  sure  I  am  that  if  you  continue 
it  with  that  persistent  tenacity,  which  has  been  commended  to  you  so 
nobly  in  the  eloquent  discourse  of  this  morning,,  you  will  at  length 
spread  over  this  whole  continent  righteousness  and  love:  and  the  fruits 
of  righteousness  shall  be  peace  and  quietness  forever.  Kow  blessed 
be  the  Lord  God,  the  God  of  Israel,  Who  only  doeth  wondrous  things; 
and  blessed  be  His  name  for  ever;  and  let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with 
His  glory.    Amen  and  amen. 

ADDRESS  OF  RET.  JAMES  W.  MASSIE,  D.  D.,  OF  ENGLAND. 

Bey.  Br.  Massie,  of  England,  being  called  upon,  addressed 
the  convention  as  follows :  — 

Mr.  Moderator^  —  I  feel  as  if  I  were  renewing  the  intercourse  with  my 
American  brethren  which  terminated  eighteen  months  ago,  after  one  of 
tiie  most  pleasant  scenes  I  ever  witnessed  or  took  part  in.  My  fellowship 
with  American  Christians  and  ministers  of  religion  at  that  time  gave 
me  assurance  that  not  only  were  you  ready  to  accomplish  a  great  work, 
but  were  willing  to  accomplish  it  in  fellowship  with  English  Christians, 
I  rejoice  in  the  testimony  that  my  brethren  have  borne  concerning  the 
denomination  to  which  they  and  I  belong;  and  especially  do  I  rejoice 
in  the  testimony  that  Dr.  Baleigh  has  presented  as  to  the  enthusiasm 
which  pervaded  our  Congregational  assembly  upon  the  nomination  of 
those  two  excellent  brethren,  when  it  was  proposed  and  carried.    I 


76  ADDRESS   OF   DB.    WILKES. 

think  that,  if  this  assembly  had  heard  our  friend,  Dr.  Baleigh,  in  the 
speech  he  uttered  upon  that  occasion,  there  would  be  indeed  what  he 
has  described  as  the  bursting  tide  of  Niagara,  even  here.  I  felt  then 
constrained  to  say  that  the  triumph  of  your  cause  was  as  manifest  in 
the  city  of  London  as  it  had  been  in  the  city  of  Bichmond.  [Ap- 
plause.] 

I  come  here  with  credentials  from  no  association,  though  there  are 
associations  that  requested  me  to  come.  Those  associations  gave  me 
my  credentials  upon  my  former  visit;  but  inasmuch  as  they  were  for 
union  and  for  emancipation,  for  the  freedmen  of  America, — the  freedmen's 
aid  commissions  of  England, — I  did  not  think  it  would  be  suitable  to 
present  these  credentials,  which  I  have  in  my  pocket,  to  a  council  of  Con- 
gregational ministers.  But  I  came  that  I  might  witness  the  welcome 
that  you  would  give  to  my  brothers;  to  witness  the  testimony  they 
would  bear  of  the  country  from  which  I  come;  and  thatr,  if  I  might  be 
a  humble  instrument,  I  might  yet  increase  the  tide  of  sympathy  and 
affection  that  flows  between  the  American  and  the  English  people. 

I  feel  that  we  are  not  two  nations.  I  feel  that  we  are  one  people;  that 
my  best  kindred,  in  collateral  lineation,  dwell  with  you;  that  your 
khidred  dwell  with  us;  that  your  language  is  my  language;  that  your 
religion  is  mine;  and  that  your  laws,  and  the  spirit  of  your  laws,  may  be 
said  to  be  congenial  with  our  laws  and  the  spirit  of  our  laws.  Your  mis- 
sions and  our  missions  flow  in  the  same  channel,  and  pervade  the  same 
fields  of  action.  You  are  generously  sustaining  us,  while  we  are  seeking 
honorably  to  sustain  you,  in  extending  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ  to  all  lands.  I  rejoice  in  that  sympathy  between  us.  I  am  sure 
that  Dr.  Baleigh's  f^ars  will  never  be  realized;  for,  were  war  to  prevail 
between  England  and  America,  not  only  would  priestcraft  send  forth  a 
howl  of  rejoicing,  and  the  aristocracy  and  oppressors  of  mankind  mingle 
together  their  hisses  of  applause,  but  the  very  devils  in  hell  itself  would 
rejoice ;  because  the  instruments  capable  of  the  greatest  work  of  regen- 
eration and  evangelization  in  the  earth,  would  be  shattered  and  rendered 
unfit  fbr  operation.  Let  England  and  America  be  one  in  their  religion, 
and  in  co-operation,  and  all  the  tyrannies  of  the  world  will  quail  before 
them.  Let  their  one  language  girdle  the  earth,  and  be  the  channel  of 
religious  instruction  and  sympathy  and  love,  and  heathenism  will  submit, 
and  our  God  shall  be  all  and  in  alL 

Rev.  Theodore  Monod  was  called  upon  to  speak  in  behalf  of 
Prance  ;  but  stated  that  he  wished  to  read,  in  the  course  of  his 
remarks,  a  letter,  which  he  had  not  with  him,  and  would  prefer 
to  speak  to-morrow  morning.  This  arrangement  was  agreed  to 
by  the  Council. 

ADDBESS  OP  BEV.  HENRY  WILKES,  D.  D.,  OF  HONTREAI.,  CANADA. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wilkes,  being  called  upon,  said :  — 

I  perceive,  Mr.  Moderator*  that  I  have  only  seven  minutes  left  before 


ADDRESS    OF   DR.   WILKES.  77 

the  hour  fixed  for  the  adjoumment,  and  I  shall  therefore  bel^rief.  After 
the  expression  of  the  sentiments  of  my  learned  friends  and  brethren  from 
the  fatherland,  ihe  txath  of  which  it  was  not  at  all  necessary  that  I  should 
endorse,  because  their  own  character  is  quite  sufficient,  I  need  not  have 
said  any  thing  upon  that  point;  but  I  was  at  a  meeting  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Union  in  1862,  one  year  after  the  commencement  of  your  struggle, 
at  a  time  when  in  that  country  its  success  was  by  no  means  very  prom- 
ising, even  in  the  estimation  of  many  among  you;  and  I  may  perhaps 
venture  to  say,  that  at  that  time,  mingling  with  my  brethren  there,  and 
listening  to  them  in  their  churches,  in  May,  June,  July,  and  August, 
1862,  there  was  throughout  the  Congregational  churches  in  England,  — 
I  am  speaking  of  them,  and  not  of  the  "  Times  "  newspaper  at  all,  for 
that  is  a  very  different  thing,  —  I  unhesitatingly  say,  that  in  all  the  Con- 
gregational churches  in  England,  there  was  a  deep,  deep  sympathy  with 
this  nation,  and  a'  sympathy  upon  the  right  side.  I  know  that  at  that  time 
the  Union  recommended  that  on  the  second  Lord^s  day  in  June,  there 
should  be  special  prayer  oJQTered  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  that  spe- 
cial prayer  was  oiOTered,  not  merely  that  the  Lord  would  restore  peace, 
but  that  the  Lord  would  bless  you  in  the  great  work  in  which  you  were 
engaged  in  overthrowing  that  fearful  system,  as  it  has  been  so  emphati- 
cally done  to-day. 

Kow,  sir,  I  come  to  Canada.  Canada  has  been  very  unpopular  with 
you,  particularly  during  the  last  year.  These  raids  have  vexed  you  very 
much;  and  I  am  not  surprised  at  it.  But  I  am  not  to  speak  so  much  for 
Canada  as  for  the  Congregational  churches  of  Canada.  They  are  but  a 
small  band  of  churches,  about  ninety;  but  those  churches,  east  and  west, 
without  a  single  exception,  have  been  with  you  most  heartily  and  lov- 
ingly in  the  strife  in  which  you  have  been  engaged.    [Applause.] 

To  the  proof,  —  for  there  is  nothing  like  the  proof.  A  newspaper, 
which  has  two  or  three  times  the  circulation  of  any  other  in  Montreal, 
is  owned  by  a  deacon  of  my  church,  and  has  a  very  powerful  influence 
in  that  city  and  throughout  a  large  part  of  the  country.  That  paper 
has  been  uniformly,  from  the  commencement  of  the  strife  until  now,  on 
the  side  of  truth  and  righteousness,  on  the  side  of  freedom,  on  the  side 
of  what  we  call  the  North.  Another  press  in  the  city  has  opposed  it 
most  bitterly,  —  a  press  which  has  been  fed,  I  suppose,  and  in  part  edited 
by  Southern  refugees  who  are  in  the  city,  who  have  doubtless  awakened 
sympathy  among  certain  classes  in  our  community,  and  particularly 
with  those  who  do  not  sympathise  with  us  in  our  holy  religion.  You 
know  we  have  something  else  in  Canada.  We  have  a  Popish  religion 
there.  Protestantism  is,  I  was  going  to  say,  an  exotic  With  us.  But 
not  merely  our  own  denomination,  but  the  people  generally  holding  Prot- 
estant views,  are  upon  your  side. 

It  seems  to  be  supposed,  in  many  parts  of  your  country,  that  because  a 
police  judge,  who  happens  not  to  be  a  man  qualified  to  declare  upon  inter- 
national law,  makes  a  decision  to  release  the  raiders,  and  because  there 
were  hurras  in  the  court-room,  Canada  is  resi)onsible.  I  remember  well 
the  mourning  and  lamentation,  when  that  decision  was  arrived  at,  among 


78  ORDER   OF   BUSINESS. 

the  merchants  and  other  respectable  men  whom  I  met  in  the  streets, 
who  miiformly  regarded  it  as  a  mistake,  and  about  which  they  sincerely 
grieved.  I  think  it  is  due  to  Canada  to  declare  this  honestly  and  openly. 
I  have  been  there  thirty  years,  and  profess  to  know  something  about 
the  feeling  of  that  community.  I  met  a  man,  and  asked  him,  "  Why 
don't  you  come  to  church?  "  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  you  always  pray  for 
the  United  States."  *'  WeU,"  said  I, "  ought  I  not  to  pray  for  the  United 
States?  "  "  I  can  tell  that  you  sympathize  with  the  North,  and  I  don't" 
And  what  I  have  done  in  my  church  is  done  by  all  my  brethren. 

When  that  terrible  thing  occurred,  the  assassination  of  your  noble 
President,  I  happened  to  be  in  Boston  and  Hartford  at  the  time,  and 
therefore  could  mingle  with  you  in  the  very  midst  of  your  mourning;  but 
I  know  that  our  country  was  filled  with  distress,  that  our  pulpits  were 
draped,  and  that  men  of  all  denominations  wept  and  prayed  together, 
and  prayed  that  God  would  have  mercy,  and  overrule  an  event  so  fearful 
as  this  for  good.  They  expressed  an  intense  sympathy,  from  the  very 
heart  of  hearts  of  the  people,  in  this  afliiction,  and  an  abhorrence  and 
utter  detestation  against  the  act  and  those  who  applauded  it 

I  will  now  close  by  saying,  that  I  bring  to  you  the  fraternal  congratu- 
lations, and  the  expression  of  the  warm  affection,  of  the  churches,  as  rep- 
resented in  our  Congregational  Union  this  week  and  last  week.  I  left 
Toronto  at  half  past  five  o'clock  on  Monday,  when  they  were  assembled, 
and  they  instructed  me  to  express  to  you  our  most  cordial  aflection. 
We  have  a  feeling  of  oneness  with  you,  —  oneness  in  politics,  oneness  in 
the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  oneness  in  the  longing  desire  for 
the  spread  of  the  great  principles  of  our  holy  religion  throughout  your 
land  and  ours.  Having  said  this,  I  will  retire,  praying  that  all  your 
deliberations  may  be  under  the  divine  guidance,  and  may  be  richly 
blessed  by  the  Head  of  the  church,  for  the  welfare  of  his  own  kingdom, 
the  glory  of  God,  and  blessings  upon  your  country.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  chairman  of  the  Business 
Committee,  reported  a  recommendation  of  the  order  of  business 
for  to-morrow  as  follows :  — 

That  immediately  after  the  address  of  Kev.  Mr.  Monod,  the  committee 
on  Credentials  have  time  to  report,  after  which  the  papers  prepared  by 
the  committees  appointed  by  the  conference  in  New  York  should  be 
read  in  the  following  order:  — 

1.  Declaration  of  Christian  faith. 

2.  Statement  of  church  polity. 

3.  Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South. 

4.  Church-building. 

He  reported,  also,  the  following  recommendations  :  — 

1.  That  the  time  from  eleven,  a.  h.,  to  half  past  eleven,  A.  h.,  be  daily 
assigned  to  devotional  exercises. 


MEMBERSHIP.  79 

2.  That  the  contracts  made  by  the  Committee  of  Arrangemente,  with 
phonographic  and  other  reporters,  be  ratified  by  the  Council. 

3.  That  the  reports  originating  with  committees  outside  of  the  Coimcil 
be  referred  to  special  committees  immediately  on  their  acceptance  by 
the  Council,  and  without  debate  on  their  merits;  all  debate  to  take  place 
when  these  special  committees  report  to  the  Council. 

The  report  was  adopted. 

The  hour  of  five  o'clock  having  arrived,  the  Council  ad- 
journed until  to-morrow  morning,  under  the  rule. 

THIRD  DAY,  FRIDAY,  JUNE  16. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order  and  opened  by  prayer,  at  9 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  by  the  moderator. 

The  record  of  yesterday's  proceedings  was  read  by  the  scribe^ 
Bev.  Mr.  Dexter,  and  approved. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois,  reported  from  the  committee  on 
Credentials  a  recommendation  that  all  chairmen  of  committees 
directed  to  present  special  reports  to  the  Council  preparatory 
for  business,  by  the  preliminary  meeting  held  in  New  York, 
but  who  are  not  members  of  the  Council,  be  invited  to  sit  as 
corresponding  members. 

Rev.  Dr.  Harris,  of  Maine,  moved  to  amend  by  inserting 
"  members  "  instead  of  "  chairmen." 

The  amendment  was  seconded. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter  moved  to  amend  by  including  the  commit- 
tee on  Arrangements,  and  Dr.  Harris  accepted  the  amendment. 

The  amendment,  as  amended,  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois,  read  the  following  paper :  — 

^'  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  General  Association  of  Illinois,  held  at 
Peoria,  Dl.,  May,  1865,  the  following  action  was  had,  concerning  the 
subject  of  church-building:  — 

" '  TFTierccw,  By  an  unintentional  oversight,  the  preliminary  conference 
at  New  York  did  not  appoint  a  committee  to  report  upon  the  topic  of 
church-building,  which  had  been  adopted  in  the  programme  of  subjects 
to  be  presented  before  the  Boston  Council;  and 

"  *  Whereas,  By  the  request  of  the  nominating  committee  of  the  con- 
ference, through  the  secretary  of  the  Congregational  Union,  Rev.  J.  E. 
Roy  has  prepared  a  report  upon  this  enterprise: 

"  *  Besolved,  That  Brother  Boy  be  requested  to  read  the  same  before 
this  association  after  the  sermon,  this  (Thursday)  evening.' 

"  His  essay  having  been  read  according  to  request,  it  was 

* '  Besolved,  That,  in  the  omission  of  the  preliminary  conference  to 


80  MEMBERSHIP. 

appoint  a  committee  to  report  on  the  subject  of  church-building,  Rev. 
J.  E.  Roy  be  requested  to  proceed  to  Boston  to  lay  before  the  National 
Council,  in  the  name  of  the  General  Ajssociation  of  Illinois,  the  paper  he 
has  just  read.' 

"  By  order  of  the  Association, 

"  RiCHABD  C.  Dunn,  Scribe. 

"  Peoria,  May  27, 1865." 

It  was  moved  farther  to  amend  the  report  by  including  the 
name  of  Rev.  J.  E.  Roy,  of  Illinois. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois,  said  there  would  be  no  objection  to  that, 
although  the  language  of  the  report  was  intended  to  include  him. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  In  regard  to  the  statement  just 
read,  of  the  omission  with  regard  to  church-building,  it  strikes  me  as 
altogether  a  mistake.  I  think  that  the  document  prepared  by  Mr.  Roy 
ought  to  be  handed  to  some  committee  already  appointed. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Dlinois.  As  one  of  those  who  took  action  in 
Illinois,  I  would  like  to  observe  that  we  were  informed  that  it  was 
entirely  by  oversight  that  no  special  committee  was  appointed.  The 
subject  of  church-building  was  separately  named  as  one  of  the  subjects 
to  be  brought  before  this  body ;  and  Brother  Roy,  being  familiar  with 
the  whole  subject,  was  desired,  by  request  from  the  East,  to  prepare  a 
document  upon  it.  Allow  me  to  observe,  also,  that  any  respectable 
body  of  Congregational  ministers  and  laymen,  in  requesting  a  report  to 
be  presented  to  this  body,  stand  perfectly  upon  a  level  with  that  prepar- 
atory conference  in  New  York;  for  I  take  it  upon  me  to  say  that 
that  conference  was  not  specially  expected  beforehand  to  appoint  these 
committees,  or  to  have  these  reports  prepared,  although  the  thing  done 
may  have  been  a  wise  thing  in  itself.  But  any  other  body  of  Congrega- 
tionalists  had  a  perfect  right  to  prepare  a  report  on  any  subject  to  come 
before  the  Council,  and  this  body  has  a  perfect  right  to  receive  such 
report  on  a  level  with  any  other  report  from  any  quarter.  We  are  a 
free  body.  Those  preparatory  committees  are  not  committees  of  this 
body,  but  of  the  conference,  and  any  other  body  may  send  reports 
here. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  All  of  which  I  acknowledge,  ah 
imo  pectore;  but  I  say,  that  as  a  free- body  we  have  a  right  to  say  that 
the  report  of  Mr.  Roy  shall  come  to  us  through  the  committee  we  have 
already  recognized,  upon  evangelization  in  the  West  and  South. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  That  committee  has  not  included  it  in 
their  report,  but  have  left  it  for  Brother  Roy  to  present. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  They  can  make  this  a  part  of  their 
report. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  dissented  from  the  view  taken 
by  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  and  maintained  that  no  other  body 
could  stand  in  the  same  relation  to  this  Council  as  the  preliminary 
conference  in  Kew  York,  and  that  the  paper  presented  by  Mr.  Roy 


CREDENTIALB.  81 

could  not  be  properly  called  a  report  The  paper  ought  to  be  received; 
but  the  rules  adopted  by  the  convention  provided  for  the  case  of  such 
papers,  and  he  desired  that  they  be  adhered  to. 

Bev.  Dr.  Habris,  of  Maine,  suggested  that  the  pending  question  was 
not  the  disposition  of  the  report,  but  whether  Mr.  Boy  should  have  the 
privilege  of  a  seat  upon  the  floor,  and  of  speaking  in  tibie  CounclL 

The  motion  was  agreed  to,  and  the  report  6f  the  committee 
was  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton  further  reported :  — 

That  the  committee  had  added  to  the  roll  such  ftirther  names  as  had 
been  received  since  yesterday  morning. 

Also,  that  application  had  been  made  to  admit  a  delegate  appointed  by 
a  church  which  was  omitted  from  the  letters  missive  sent  to  the  neigh- 
boring churches,  and  which  thus  had  no  opportunity  to  act  with  them  in 
conference.  The  committee,  acknowledging  the  ii\justice  of  the  omis- 
sion, did  not  feel  that  it  was  within  their  province  to  attempt  to  rec- 
tify it,  but  reported  the  case  for  the  action  of  the  CounciL 

Rev.  Dr.  HAiims,  of  Maine,  conceived  it  to  be  impossible  for  the  Coun- 
cil to  rectify  the  omission  in  this  or  in  similar  cases;  and  therefore  moved 
that  the  consideration  of  that  part  of  the  report  be  indefinitely  post- 
poned. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut,  under  the  impression  that 
the  matter  was  not  fully  understood  by  the  Council,  moved  a 
reconsideration  of  the  last  vote. 

The  Council  refused  to  reconsider,  by  a  vote,  on  division,  of 
ayes  94 ;  noes  126. 

Bev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  committee  on  Business,  made  a  re- 
port, recommending,  — 

That  to-morrow,  June  17,  be  set  apart  as  the  time  recommended  by 
the  preliminary  committees  as  a  special  service  of  devotion  for  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  marvelous  and  the  mercifUl  dealings  of  Almighty 
God  with  the  nation  in  connection  with  the  war,  and  for  supplicating  a 
gracious  dispensation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  land,  that  our  re- 
stored national  unity  may  be  consecrated  in  righteousness,  and  in  the 
p^ace  and  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  tha^  the  invitation  of  the  First 
Church  in  Charlestown,  to  hold  service  in  their  meeting-house  on  Har- 
vard HOI,  be  accepted,  and  that  the  Council  meet  there  at  three  o'clock, 

P.M. 

On  motion  of  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut,  the  report  was  re- 
ferred to  the  committee  on  devotional  exercises. 

6 


82  INVITATION  TO  VISIT  PLYMOUTH. 

FOREFATHEBS'   ROCK. 

Bev.  A.  L.  Stone,  d.  d.,  of  Massachusetts,  chairman  of  the 
Committee  of  Arrangements,  extended  an  invitation  to  members 
of  the  Council  to  visit  in  a  body  the  Forefathers'  Rock  at  Plym- 
outh, free  of  all  charge,  and  participate  in  a  collation  there  to 
be  provided. 

He  thought  such  an  excursion  would  be  no  mean  element  in 
the  history  of  the  Council.  Arrangements  would  also  be  made 
by  which  others  could  participate  in  the  trip  at  a  small  ex- 
pense. The  day  of  the  excursion  would  be  fixed  hereafter,  but 
could  not  well  be  before  Thursday  of  next  week. 

Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  to  accept  the  invita- 
tion. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  expressed  his  hearty  sympathy 
with  the  proposition,  and  hoped  it  would  be  possible  to  comply  with  the 
arrangement,  but  called  attention  to  the  great  amount  of  business  to  be 
done,  and  thought  It  better  to  carry  out  Plymouth-Rock  principles,  upon 
which  all  could  unite,  than  to  visit  the  Rock  itself,  where  no  two  men 
could  stand  at  the  same  time.    [Laughter.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Adams,  of  Maine,  was  fully  persuaded  that  the  work  of  the 
convention  would  not  be  hindered  by  taking  next  Thursday  for  such 

an  excursion. 

I 

The  motion  to  accept  the  invitation  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Mr.  Byington,  of  Vermont,  stated  that  Gov.  Smith  of 
Vermont,  in  consequence  of  illness,  would  be  unable  to  perform 
his  duties  on  the  committee  on  Nominations,  and  wished  to  be 
excused  from  further  service  upon  that  committee ;  and  nomi- 
nated Rev.  Clark  E.  Ferrin,  of  Vermont,  to  take  his  place. 

The  motion  to  excuse  Gov.  Smith,  and  appoint  Rev.  Mr. 
Ferrin,  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  that  a  com- 
mittee be  appointed  to  prepare  resolutions  in  reference  to  the 
condition  of  the  country,  and  to  report  the  same  for  the  action 
of  the  Council. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

On  motion,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee on  Nominations,  the  rule  of  the  Council,  limiting  the 
number  to  be  appointed  upon  committees  to  three,  was  modi- 
fied, ^o  as  to  allow  the  committee  to  appoint  in  each  case  such 
number  as  in  their  judgment  seemed  best. 


ABDRSfiS   OF    MR.    MONOD.  83 

The  orders  of  the  day  were  called  for,  the  preliminary  busi* 
ness  having  been  completed  ;  the  first  of  which  was  the  address 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Monod. 

ADDRESS  OF  REV.  THEODORE  MONOD,  OF  PARIS,  FRANCE. 

Bev.  Mr.  Monod,  having  been  called  upon,  in  pursuance  of 
the  order  of  yesterday,  said, — 

Mr,  Moderator^  Christian  Fathers  and  Brethren^ — If  I  were  in  Paris 
to-day,  I  would  wish  I  was  in  Boston;  and  wherever  I  might  be,  in  the 
Old  World  or  the  New,  to-day,  I  would  wish  I  was  in  Boston.  It  is  to 
me  a  pleasure  I  cannot  express,  and  something  more  than  a  pleasure, 
for  there  is  a  solenm  feeling  about  it,  to  find  myself  before  such  an 
assembly  at  such  a  time.  It  is  well  imderstood,  here  at  least,  that  Amer- 
ica, now-a-days,  is  in  the  vanguard  of  the  world.  It  is  equally  well 
understood  that  New  England  is  in  the  vanguard  of  America;  and  I  ven- 
ture to  say  that  such  a  body  of  ministers  and  laymen  as  this  is  in  the 
vanguard  of  New  England.  I  therefore  feel  that  I  am  now  standing 
before  the  very  first  ranks  in  the  great  army  of  Uberty  and  of  progress 
and  of  Christ 

When  I  think  of  this,  I  can  hardly  believe  that  I  myself,  who  am  not 
old,  was  in  this  country  at  a  time  that  seems  now  to  be  about  as  far 
behind  us  as  the  Crusades,  —  it  was  in  1859,  when  the  South  was 
ready  to  claim  any  thing,  and  when  the  North  seemed  to  be  ready  to  give 
up  any  thing;  and  when  it  appeared  to  be  generally  admitted  that  every 
white  man  had  an  equal  right  to  the  pursuit  of  happiness  and  of  runaway 
negroes.    [Laughter  and  applause.] 

All  that  is  now  behind  us.  You  have  now  proved  to  the  world  that  you 
are  a  nation,  and  not  a  kind  of  town-meeting.  You  have  proved  to  the 
world  that  you  could  get  rid  of  slavery;  or  rather,  God  has  proved  that 
he  could  sweep  it  out  of  the  land;  and  you  have  proved  to  the  world 
that  a  democratic  government  ^^  is  as  good  as  another,  and  a  great  deal 
better  too."    [Applause.] 

I  bring  to  you  the  congratulations  of  the  Union  of  Evangelical  Churches 
in  France.  That  body  was  formed  sixteen  years  ago.  Before  that, 
there  were  in  France  a  few  free  churches,  scattered  here  and  there;  but 
there  was  no  bond  of  union  between  them.  In  1849,  when  Frederic  Mo- 
nod, my  father,  with  Count  Ag^nor  de  Gasparin,  pastor  Armand  Deiille, 
and  some  others,  left  the  established  church  of  France,  they  at  once  set 
to  work  to  organize,  not  exactly  into  one  body,  certainly  not  into  one 
church,  but  into  one  union,  those  scattered  free  churches.  They  invited 
them  to  send  representatives  to  Paris,  which  they  did;  and  Uius  was 
formed  what  we  called  the  constituting  synod.  That  synod  voted  for  a 
constitution,  which  was  sent  to  the  churches;  and  now  most  of  the  fr«e 
churches  in  France  have  accepted  that  constitution,  and  belong  to  that 
union.    That  body  does  not  bear  the  name  of  Congregationalist;  neither 


84  ADDRESS   OF   MR.   MONOD. 

does  it  bear  the  name  of  Presbyterian.  It  is  not  strictly  the  one  nor  the 
other;  yet  it  is  nearer  Congregationalism  Uian  any  thing  else.  This  is 
its  first  article:  — 

"  The  evangelical  churches  in  France,  composed  of  members  who  have 
explicitly  and  individually  professed  their  faith,  and  who  recognize  in 
religious  matters  no  other  authority  than  that  of  Christ,  the  only  and  ' 
sovereign  Head  of  the  church,  associate  with  one  another  to  glorify 
God,  by  manifesting  the  union  of  his  children,  to  labor  in  conmion  for 
the  edification  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  to  imite  their  efforts  for  the 
extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God." 

The  distinctive  feature  of  difference  between  them  and  your  churches 
is,  that  they  have,  every  other  year,  what  they  call  a  synod,  composed 
of  representatives  from  the  churches,  whose  decisions  are  accepted  by 
the  churches.  If  a  church  does  not  accept  its  decisions,  then  it  ceases 
to  belong  to  the  body.  I  may  say  here,  that,  when  we  in  France  look 
back  to  the  fathers  to  know  what  "  the  old  paths  "  were,  we  receive  for  an 
answer,  Preshyteriamam:  our  history,  our  traditions,  point  us  to  that 
form  of  church  polity.  And  as  to  the  future,  even  if  we  could  to-day 
have  the  whole  of  the  French  Protestants  organized  into  separate 
churches,  and  if  you  were  there  in  France,  I  am  persuaded  that,  looking 
at  the  condition  of  the  people,  at  their  habits  of  mind  and  of  action,  you 
would  come  to  the  conclusion  that  they  can  not  have  there  and  now  ex- 
actly the  system  that  you  have  here  in  New  England.  I  know  that 
some  people  say  that  if  a  man  wants  to  learn  to  swim,  he  must  not  be 
afraid  to  jump  into  the  water;  and  that  we  shall  never  learn  self-gc^em- 
ment,  without  any  central  authority,  unless  we  try  it.  But  it  takes  some 
education  to  come  to  that  point  If  you  saw  a  man  who  did  not  know 
at  all  how  to  swim,  and  who,  beside,  had  considerable  stiffiiess  in  all  his 
joints,  you  would  not  throw  him  into  the  water  before  you  had  taken 
time  to  get  his  limbs  a  little  more  supple. 

From  these  churches,  I  bring  you  most  hearty  congratulations.  I 
bring  them  .to  every  evangelical  church  in  America.  I  have  had  the 
privilege  of  beanng  them  myself  to  the  General  Assembly  in  Pittsburg, 
to  that  in  Brooklyn,  to  the  General  Synod  in  New  Brunswick,  and  now 
I  bear  them  to  you;  and  I  do  so  with  special  pleasure,  because  I  know 
that  you  feel,  and  you  deserve  to  feel,  a  special  happiness  in  the  great 
joy  of  the  nation,  because  it  is  the  consummation  of  the  great  work  up- 
on which  you  have  set  your  hearts  from  the  beginning,  and  to  which 
you  have  adhered,  not  only  of  late,  but  when  it  was  a  work  attended 
with  great  diflSculty  and  with  much  obloquy;  and  therefore  we  congrat- 
ulate you  first  and  most  of  all. 

And  now,  about  our  feeling  toward  you  during  the  war,  I  can  only 
say  of  our  churches  what  some  of  the  brethren  yesterday  said  of  theirs, 
that,  whatever  may  have  been  the  feeling  of  others,  the  feeling  of 
Protestant  France  was  with  you  almost  altogether.  And,  when  I  come  to 
the  free  churches,  I  can  take  the  "almost"  away;  for  the  free  churches, 
as  far  as  known  to  me,  were  with  you,  to  a  man,  to  a  woman,  to  a  child. 
As  to  the  general  feeling  in  France,  even  that  was  better  than  you  prob- 


ADDRESS   or  MR.   MONOD>  85 

ably  think,  and  I  will  touch  upon  the  point  presently.  In  our  churches, 
I  repeat  it,  the  feeling  has  been  thoroughly  for  you,  from  the  beginning, 
before  the  beginning,  and  all  the  way  through. 

In  1861,  where  did  that  movement  come  from,  that  brought  you  a  let- 
ter of  cheer  and  of  sympathy  in  your  darkest  hour?  It  originated  with 
us, — with  three  hundred  French  Protestant  pastors.  Then  it  went  over 
into  England,  and  received  four  thousand  signatures  there;  and  then  Dr. 
Massie  brought  it  over  to  you.  When  any  proclamation  came  from 
President  Lincoln,  it  was  always  put  into  our  religious  newspapers;  and 
I  had  almost  said  that  there  was  hardly  any  thing  in  those  papers  that 
was  more  religious,  and  did  us  more  good.  We  were  so  well  acquainted 
with  him,  that  one  lady  who  did  not  know  him  personaUy,  and  had 
never  come  to  this  country,  said  to  me,  speaking  of  his  death, "  Some- 
how this  Lincoln  seemed  to  belong  to  us."  When  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer  was  appointed  here  in  1863,  we  gave  notice  in  our  Protestant 
papers,  at  least  in  one  of  the  oldest  of  them,  requesting  Protestant 
Christians  to  unite  with  you  in  their  families  upon  that  day,  in  special 
prayer  for  you  and  your  country.  During  the  last  Presidential  cam- 
paign, we  were  waiting  for  the  news,  as  they  that  watch  for  the  morn- 
ing; and  there  was  great  rejoicing  among  us  when  the  news  did  come. 
And  when  the  news  of  the  fall  of  Hichmond  came,  your  friends  there  did 
not  know  what  to  do  with  themselves.  One  pastor,  instead  of  following 
the  plan  he  had  laid  out  for  himself  that  afternoon,  went  to  the  next  tel- 
egraphic station,  and  sent  to  Dr.  Sunderland  a  dispatch  which  embodied 
the  feelings  of  us  all:  —  "  Glory  to  God,  and  three  cheers  for  the  Union." 
[Applause.]  And,  as  I  told  them  in  Brooklyn  the  other  day,  there  was 
a  young  physician  in  Paris,  a  Frenchman  and  a  Protestant,  who  when 
begot  the  news,  felt  he  must  shake  hands  with  an  American,  in  fact,  that 
he  must  kiss  an  American;  and,  as  he  could  not  find  an  American  to 
kiss,  he  kissed  me  as  the  next  best  thing.    [Applause  and  laughter.] 

I  am  very  thankful  to  you,  gentlemen,  for  the  sympathy  you  express; 
and  it  brings  me  to  the  next  point.  We  can  not  make  so  much  noise  as 
that  in  our  synod,  because  we  are  not  so  numerous;  but  we  did  make  all 
the  noise  we  could  when  Dr.  Cleaveland  spoke  to  us  last  November  about 
the  war — how  it  was  going  on  and  what  would  be  the  end  of  it.  We  are 
not  in  the  habit  of  applauding;  but  we  did  applaud  then,  and  stamped 
too,  and  did  every  thing  in  our  power  to  express  our  sympathy. 

lif  you  want  to  know  the  feeluig  of  France  in  1862  and  1863,  ask 
those  who  were  among  us  then;  ask  Mr.  Cuyler,  —  you  know  him  well, 
though  he  is  a  Presbyterian;  or  ask  Mr.  Woodruff  or  Mr.  Beecher;  and 
they  can  tell  you  what  were  the  prayers  in  our  families,  and  what  were 
the  prayers  from  our  pulpits,  during  that  time.  It  can  all  be  embodied 
in  this  fact,  that  our  representative  man  in  the  matter  is  Count  de  Gas- 
parin.    * 

Now  I  have  a  letter  to  read  to  you.  I  am  sorry  to  take  up  your  time, 
but  you  must  remember  that  there  is  only  one  delegate  from  France : 
now  suppose  there  were  three,  I  will  only  take  up  as  much  time  as  two 
of  them.    The  letter  comes  from  the  General  Conference  of  Protestant 


86  ADDBESS   OF   MB.   MONOD. 

Pastors,  that  takes  place  in  Paris  every  year,  during  the  week  of  the 
anniversaries  of  our  religious  societies,  in  May  or  June.  At  those 
conferences,  every  shade  of  Protestantism  is  represented.  You  find 
there  the  Established  Church  Reformed,  the  Established  Church  Lu- 
theran, and  both  parties  in  those  churches,  —  the  evangelical,  and  also 
those  who  call  themselves  the  liberal  party.  Furthermore,  you  find 
there  the  Methodist  Church  and  the  Baptist  Church.  All  are  represented 
there.  In  their  meeting  this  year  (and  first  in  the  conference  special  to 
the  established  churches),  several  letters  were  unanimously  voted:  one 
to  the  American  people,  one  to  Mrs.  Lincoln,  one  (by  the  General 
Conference)  to  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  the  United  States.  The 
latter,  I  will  read  entire;  of  the  former,  I  will  give  only  a  few  extracts, 
the  sentiments  being  substantially  the  same  in  them  alL  First,  from  the 
letter  to  Mrs.  Lincoln.    Speaking  of  the  assassination,  it  says  :  — 

"  That  horror  was  still  wanting  to  slavery,  that  consecration  to  vic- 
tory, that  halo  to  the. brow  of  the  defender  of  liberty.  We  will  not  seek, 
madam,  to  comfort  you  by  the  thought  of  the  glory  now  attached  to  the 
name  of  your  husband,  whom  future  generations  will  place,  as  we  do 
now,  among  the  benefactors  of  mankind.  But  directing  your  thought^ 
and  ours  higher  still,  we  wiU  adore  the  mysterious  will  of  God,  who  has 
been  pleased  to  make  Abraham  Lincoln  one  of  those  mighty  workers 
whom  he  uses  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  purposes,  and  who  has  allowed 
him  to  be  called  from  us,  after  the  labors  and  sorrows  of  the  confiict 
We  sympathize,  from  the  depths  of  our  heart,  with  your  grief,  which  is 

not  only  a  national  grief,  but  one  which  reaches  all  humanity We 

hope  that  the  indignation  excited  by  that  abominable  crime  will  not 
alter  hi  any  thing  the  thoughts  of  charity  that  were  to  crown  the  work 
of  freedom." 

Again,  one  of  the  committees  of  the  French  Evangelical  Alliance 
addressed  a  letter  to  President  Johnson,  from  which  I  will  read  only 
two  lines:  — 

"  The  gospel  makes  it  our  duty,  Mr.  President,  to  pray  for  princes, 
and  for  those  who  have  authority  over  the  people:  we  will  not  forget 
that  duty  toward  the  present  President  of  the  United  States." 

Mr.  Bigelow,  your  minister  to  France,  acknowledged  the  reception  of 
that  letter  as  follows:  — 

"  Lboatxost  or  thb  Ukfted  Statss,  Pabis,  Mat  Ist,  1866. 

"  To  Bev.  M.  S.  Descombat,  Pbesident  of  tilr 

Evangelical  Alllance  of  Lyons. 

Mr.  President^ — I  have  received  your  touching  and  sympathetic 
address  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  I  will,  with  painful 
satisfaction,  transmit  it  to  him.  The  horrible  crime  that  has  called  him 
to  succeed  to  the  first  martyr  in  the  list  of  our  presidents,  wiU  make  him 
peculiarly  thankful  for  your  sympathies  and  your  prayers.  The  pro- 
foimd  emotion  that  our  national  grief  has  created  everywhere,  and 
particularly  in  France,  shows  that  the  assassin  who  has  deprived  us 
of  the  precious  counsels  of  President  Lincoln  has  given  him  the  immor- 


ADDRESS   OF  MB.    MONOD.  87 

tality  of  the  martyr,  and  has  illumined  with  fadeless  light  that  rare 
example  of  courage  and  of  Christian  patriotism. 

"  Be  pleased,  sir,  to  receive  for  yourself  and  your  reverend  colleagues, 
the  assurance  of  my  profoimd  veneration. 

"John  Bigelow." 

I  now  come  to  the  letter  which  is  directed  to  you,  and  which  I  there- 
fore must  read  to  you.  I  received  the  paper  containing  it  on  the  very 
day  when  I  left  New  York  for  Boston.  By  the  way,  I  do  not  know 
whether  it  is  proper  for  an  editor  to  say  any  thing  about  his  paper;  but 
this  is  the  oldest  paper  in  France.  It  is  now  in  its  forty-eighth  year. 
It  was  edited  by  my  father  for  about  forty-two  years;  and  now  my 
colleague,  M.  Duchemin,  and  myself,  are  editing  it.  It  is  a  weekly 
pai)er,  called  the  "  Archives  du  Christianisme  au  Dix-neuvi^me  Si^le." 
This  number  also  contains  a  letter  from  our  General  Pastoral  Confer- 
ence, to  all  the  Protestant  ministers  in  France,  and  in  countries  where 
the  French  language  is  spoken.  The  object  of  the  letter  is  to  urge 
them  to  labor  in  behalf  of  the  freedmen.  Let  me  give  you  a  few 
extracts:  — 

"  Dear  brethren,  two  years  ago,  seven  or  eight  hundred  French 
pastors,  of  every  denomination,  signed  a  letter  addressed  to  all  the 
pastors  in  England,  in  favor  of  the  triumph  of  the  holy  cause  of  emanci- 
pation in  the  United  States.  That  letter  received  an  answer  signed  by 
four  thousand  English  pastors, — magnificent  echo  of  our  appeal.  Botii 
letters  were  carried  to  the  United  States  by  Dr.  Massie,  secretary  of  the 
Emancipation  Society  in  London,  and  were  read  in  Washington  by  Dr. 
Sunderland,  chaplain  of  Congress,  before  a  large  assembly,  by  which 
they  were  received  with  enthusiasm.  The  wish  we  then  expressed  is 
now  fulfilled." 

The  letter  then  goes  on  to  show  what  has  been  efiected  for  the  aboli- 
tion of  slavery,  what  are  the  present  necessities  of  the  freedmen,  and 
what  the  American  government  and  the  American  people  are  doing  for 
them.    They  conclude  as  follows:  — 

"  Our  brethren  in  America  have  come  to  solicit  their  friends  in  Europe 
to  give  them  some  assistance  in  that  gigantic  work  of  charity,  such  as 
does  not  present  itself  twice  in  a  century.  They  say  to  us:  '  You  have 
justly  reproached  us  for  slavery,  and  the  sufferings  of  these  people;  you 
have  prayed  for  their  emancipation.  Now  that  we  have  broken  their 
fetters,  or  rather  now  that  God  has  answered  you,  and  has  delivered 
them,  chastising  us  as  we  deserved,  will  you  not  help  us  to  save  them 
from  death,  to  form  them  for  liberty,  for  civilization,  to  make  them 
citizens  and  Christians?  The  work  will  not  be  long,  so  great  is  their 
zeal  to  work  as  freemen  and  support  themselves,  and,  we  might  add,  so 
great  is  the  ardor  of  many  of  them  to  be  instructed  in  the  knowledge  of 
salvation.  We  must  help  them  through  the  terrible  crisis  through 
which  Grod  leads  them  and  our  whole  nation,  to  create  a  new  people, 


88  ADDRESS   OF   MR.   MONOD. 

where  there  shall  be  neither  white  nor  black,  but  one  family  of  fellow 
citizens  and  brethren,  presenting  to  the  world  the  spectacle  of  one  of  the 
most  magnificent  reparations  that  it  has  ever  witnessed.' 

"  Dear  brethren,  let  us  hearken  to  those  moving  appeals,  and  invite 
every  one  of  our  churches,  and  every  one  of  our  parishioners,  to  help, 
according  to  their  ability,  those  four  millions  of  slaves,  whose  tears  and 
blood  have  so  long  ministered  to  the  sustenance  and  to  the  opulence  of 
Europe.  May  the  God  who  delivered  Israel  from  bondage,  and  who 
gave  his  Son  to  abolish,  with  the  servitude  of  sin,  every  other  servitude, 
unite  in  that  labor  of  love  the  nearts  and  hands  of  aU  our  churches." 

Collections  for  that  purpose  are  doubtless  going  on  in  our  churches  at 
this  time.  The  funds  will  be  forwarded  through  those  societies  that 
have  sent  delegates  to  us, —  the  National  Freedmen's  Relief  Association, 
in  New  York,  and  the  Western  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  in  CincinnatL 

It  is  time  that  I  should  read  the  letter  addressed  to  yourselves. 

**  To  THE  Pastors  and  Ministers  of  the  Gospel 

OF  EVERY  Denomination  in  the  United  States. 

•*  Paris,  May  2,  1866. 

"  Brethren  in  the  Faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  in  the  Ministry  of  the 
Chspel,  — ^A  meeting  of  some  two  hundred  pastors,  ministers,  and  elders, 
or  active  members  of  Protestant  churches  from  every  part  of  France, 
and,  together  with  them,  pastors  and  elders  from  Belgium,  Switzerland, 
and  other  countries,  feel  constrained  to  express  to  you  their  deep  and 
ardent  sympathy.  That  sympathy,  three  days  ago,  would  have  been 
one  of  gratitude  to  God  and  of  holy  joy:  to-day,  it  is  also  one  of  grief, 
and  almost  of  stupor. 

"  We  were  praising  God  for  the  progress  of  the  great  cause  of  the 
emancipation  of  the  slaves  in  the  United  States,  and  we  were  giving 
thanks  to  him  for  the  powerfid  help  that  the  Christian  pulpit  in  America 
has  given  to  that  work,  —  precious  answer  to  our  prayers  for  the  Amer- 
ican churches  and  their  pastors  I  —  when  the  fearful  news  reached  us  of 
the  assassination  of  Lincoln,  that  noble  emancipator  of  the  slaves.  It 
seems  as  though  it  had  been  God's  purpose  to  seal  with  that  precious 
blood,  as  with  that  of  a  martjrr,  the  victory  of  the  cause  for  which  he 
fought  and  suffered.  With  you,  with  the  whole  world,  we  weep  over 
the  loss  of  that  great  man  and  that  great  Christian.  But,  while  weeping, 
we  remember  the  beautiful  words  he  spoke  on  the  day  of  his  second 
inaugural,  and  that  expressed  with  so  much  force  and  simplicity  his 
confidence  in  God.  We  render  thanks  to  God  for  the  admirable  work 
that  it  was  given  to  Abraham  Lincoln  to  accomplish  in  four  years;  and 
we  ask  and  expect  comfort  from  on  high  for  his  widow,  for  his  family, 
for  the  people  who  had  known  how  to  select  such  a  man  and  to  place 
him  at  their  head,  for  the  churches  and  pastors  who  had  part  in  that 
choice,  and  who  gave  him  the  support  of  the  sanctuary  in  the  frilfiUment 
of  his  providential  task. 


ADDRESS   OF    MR.    MONOD.  89 

**  In  the  name  of  the  General  Conference  of  Protestant  pastors,  elders, 
and  laborers  for  the  gospel,  met  together  in  Paris. 

M.  M.  Yaurigaud,  Pastor  at  Nantes  (Reformed  charch),  President 
FiscH,  Pastor  at  Paris  (Free  church).  Vice  PretidenL 
Vallette,  Pastor  at  Paris  (Lutheran  church). 
MoKTAMDON,  Pastor  at  Paris. 
GtJiLLAUMS  BIoNOD,  Pastor  at  Paris.*' 

I  shall  be  most  happy  to  tell  them  that  that  letter  of  theirs  was  deliv- 
ered directly  to  you  on  this  day. 

You  will  have  perceived  in  this  letter,  and  also  in  the  letter  of  the 
French  Emancipation  Society  to  President  Johnson,  published  a  few 
days  ago,  and  bearing  the  names  of  M.  Guizot,  M.  Laboulaye,  Prince 
de  Broglie,  and  others,  something  said  about  the  strong  desire  in  France 
that  the  President's  death  should  alter  in  no  respect  his  purposes  of 
charity.  I  am  well  aware  that  it  would  be  utterly  out  of  place  for  me  to 
Bay  any  thing  to  you  looking  at  all  like  counsel  on  a  subject  which:  is 
emphatically  your  own  business;  but  I  also  feel  that  I  should  not  be 
doing  my  duty  toward  the  churches  that  have  sent  me,  nor  toward  you, 
if  I  did  not  tell  you,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  how  they  feel  on  that  important 
matter.    They  have  a  right  to  expect  me  to  state  it,  and  you  have  a 

right  to  expect  it  of  me As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Protestants  of 

France,  all  of  them,  and  perhaps  your  best  friends  more  than  any  others, 
and  the  whole  liberal  party  of  France,  will  not  lift  so  much  as  a  finger 
in  the  way  of  expostulation  or  of  blame,  if  every  man  who  can  be  proved 
to  have  aided  and  abetted  assassination  in  any  shape  —  assassination 
by  the  bullet,  assassination  by  the  yellow  fever,  or  assassination  by 
starvation  —  shall  sufier  the  utmost  penalty  of  the  law.  [Applause.] 
But  if  any  man  or  men  should  be  proven  guilty  of  no  other  crime  than 
that  of  having  rebelled  against  the  government,  and  having  endeavored 
to  set  up  an  independent  government  for  themselves,  and  if  for  that 
crime  only,  he  or  they  should  be  put  to  death,  it  would  be  a  matter  of 
deep  regret  to  your  friends  in  France,  and,  I  think  I  may  say,  to  your 
friends  in  Europe  everywhere.  The  penalty  of  death  for  such  ofienses 
has  been  abolished  in  France.  We  do  not  wish  to  see  it  established  in 
America.  Besides,  it  would  put  into  the  hands  of  every  despot,  who  is 
threatened  with  any  thing  like  a  popular  movement  against  him,  a  dread- 
ful arm,  enabling  him  to  look  to  America  for  a  pattern  in  dealing  with 
those  who  may  oppose  his  government.  On  the  other  hand,  if,  imder  such 
provocation  as  you  have  suffered,  and  such  sacrifices  as  you  have  under- 
gone, you  should  still  deem  it  compatible  with  the  present  dignity  and 
with  the  future  safety  of  the  nation  (I  do  not  enter  into  that  question) 
not  to  execute  the  sentence  pronounced  upon  men  as  guilty  of  treason, 
such  an  exhibition  of  clemency  would  be  looked  upon  as  highly  honor- 
able to  democracy  and  'as  an  example  to  all  governments. 

Now  I  come  to  the  point  of  the  feeling  in  France  outside  of  our 
churches.  I  know  that  there  are  some  in  this  country  who  are  ready  to 
interpret  our  felicitations  somewhat  after  this  wise:  '^  Seeing  that  you 


90  ADDRESS   OF    MR.   MONOD. 

have  the  best  of  it,  we  congratulate  you;  if  you  had  the  worst  of  it,  we 
would  congratulate  ourselves."  That  is  not  so.  It  may  have  been  so 
with  the  government.  You  must  distinguish  between  the  government, 
with  the  circle  around  it,  and  France.  They  are  not  the  same  thing,  — 
not  at  all.  [Applause.]  The  last  time  our  Emperor  wrote  to  the  legis- 
lative body,  he  spoke  about  things  all  round  the  world;  but  somehow  it 
quite  escaped  him  that  there  was  such  a  place  as  the  United  States  of 
America.  He  did  not  utter  one  syllable  about  them.  Well,  we  said 
nothing ;  we  never  say  anything.  [Applause.]  But  we  supposed  that  very 
likely  the  government  was  like  the  dustman's  parrot,  that  he  wanted 
to  sell:  "  It  does  not  speak  much,  but  it  keeps  up  a  heap  of  think- 
ing." What  it  was  thinking  about,  I  do  not  know;  perhaps  Maximilian 
knows. 

But  as  to  the  sentiments  of  our  people.  I  wish  I  could  do  now  what 
I  did  a  few  days  ago  in  New  York,  at  a  special  meeting  for  the  purpose, 
reading  extracts  from  our  leading  periodicals  during  the  last  four  years, 
on  American  affairs.  I  can  only  sum  up  the  matter  in  a  few  words. 
The  paper  which  has  the  largest  circulation  in  France  is  the  Si^cle;  that 
has  always  been  for  you.  Then  there  is  the  Temps,  another  daily  paper, 
which  has  been  for  you  all  the  while.  Then  there  is  the  Journal  des  X)/- 
hatSy  which  goes  among  the  more  refined  and  cultivated  portion  of  society. 
That  has  constantly  been  for  you  also.  The  Opinion  NationaU,  the 
Presse,  and  the  Courier  du  Dimanche  are  for  you.  I  speak  only  of  the 
Parisian  newspapers.  There  have  been  some  against  you,  it  is  true. 
There  is  the  Pays,  and  the  Patrie,  and  the  "  Daily  News  "  —  no,  that 
was  on  this  side.  [Great  laughter  and  applause.]  Well,  I  was  saying  that 
we  had  some  papers  that  opposed  the  Union  cause :  I  might  name  others, — 
the  Constitutionnel,  the  Moniteur.  The  government  party,  of  course,  was 
against  you;  and  there  were  some  whose  i)ecuniary  interests  were  upon 
the  Southern  side,  who  leaned  that  way.  Then,  again,  we  had  those  who 
thought  the  cause  of  the  North  was  good,  but  could  never  be  successful; 
they  forgot  that  "  what  is  impossible  with  man  is  possible  with  Grod." 

Now,  if  I  come  to  our  reviews,  you  will  find  them  strongly  on  your 
aide.  The  Bevtie  Nationale,  —  I  will  not  say  anything  about  that,  except 
that  Edward  Laboulaye  writes  for  it  constantly;  the  Bevue  des  Deux 
Mondes,  which  is  known  the  world  over,  was  for  you.  I  wish  to  read 
you  a  paragraph  from  its  pages  in  a  few  moments.  The  Bevu^  Chr^- 
tiemie,  our  Protestant  review,  has  been  for  you  as  much  as  the  "  Inde- 
pendent," could  be.  The  CorrespondarU,  a  Catholic  but  liberal  review, 
was  for  you.  In  fact,  I  believe  that  every  paper  read  by  the  more 
intelligent  classes,  and  edited  by  the  ablest  men,  was  for  you  all  the 
while. 

That  was  all  we  could  do, — talk  about  it,  and  write  about  it,  gently 
enough,  so  as  not  to  provoke  the  government,  and  especially  pray  about 
it  As  to  doing  any  thing  else;  as  to  advertising  it  in  the  streets  and 
getting  up  a  little  demonstration,  I  would  like  to  see  you  come  over  and 
try  it.  [Laughter  and  applause.]  Why,  the  other  day,  they  would  not 
let  twelve  hundred  young  men  go  to  Mr.  Bigelow's  to  express  their 


ADDRESS   OF   MR.    MONOD.  91 

Bympathies  upon  the  occasion  of  the  death  of  JjincokL    It  would  not 
do. 

I  said  I  would  read  you  one  extract  I  do  not  take  it  from  the  Bevue 
JSTaUonale:  that  was  too  thoroughly  on  your  side,  and  its  opinion  would 
therefore  not  have  so  much  weight  for  my  present  purpose;  but  there  is 
an  article  from  the  pen  of  M.  Auguste  Langel,  in  the  Bevue  des  Deux 
MondeSj  —  our  leading  review,  —  that  does  not  publish  any  thing  unless 
it  is  pretty  certain  to  meet  with  acceptance.  The  article  is  dated  Octo- 
ber, 1863:— 

"  The  civil  war  in  the  United  States  will  take  its  place  in  history  as 
one  of  the  greatest  events  of  the  19th  century:. for  it  is  not  only  a  war; 
it  is  a  revolution.  Whatever  Lord  Russell  may  have  said,  if  the  South 
fights  for  "  independence,"  the  North  does  not  fight  for  "  empire,"  in  this 
sense,  that  it  does  not  fight  for  provinces,  for  frontiers,  for  military  posi- 
tions; it  fights  for  the  principles  that  in  less  than  a  century  have  made  a  na- 
tion on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  have  carried  it  to  a  degree  of 
prosperity  unheard  of ;  it  fights  for  its  laws,  for  its  constitution,  and,  it 
may  be  said  without  exaggeration,  for  its  very  existence;  for  democratic 
government  becomes  impossible  when  minorities  cease  to  accept  the  will 
of  majorities,  and  when  majorities  are  no  longer  able  to  make  their  sov- 
ereignty respected.  •*  *  *  *  *  *  * 
^  The  friends  of  human  liberty  have  reason  to  congratulate  themselves  on 
the  political  results  of  the  war  in  the  United  States;  and  would  do  wrong 
if  they  took  an  exaggerated  view  of  the  perils  of  the  future.  Liberty  wiU 
heal  ^e  wounds  made  by  slavery;*  a  democracy  that  has  displayed  such 
energy,  such  resources,  such  patriotism,  such  intelligence,  will  not  let 
the  work  of  the  last  two  years  be  lost,  and  will  secure  itself  against  the 
return  of  a  revolutionary  crisis.  The  hostilities  can  not  end  by  simple 
treaties  of  peace;  they  must  end  in  acts  that  consecrate  the  final  ruin  of 
slavery:  but  let  not  the  States  now  most  favorable  to  that  institution  be 
alarmed  at  such  a  result,  for  the  ruin  of  slavery  will  be  to  them  the 
beginning  of  a  new  life." 

This  was  written,  remember,  in  1863. 

I  can  not  express  to  you  the  feeling  at  the  death  of  your  President.  It 
was  a  sudden  blow  and  a  dreadful  one.  It  came  to  us  in  the  evening 
papers,  just  as  we  were  on  our  way  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Society.  I  did  not  see  the  paper  myself,  but  learned  the  news 
from  the  lips  of  a  friend;  and  such  was  the  expression  on  his  face  when 
he  came  to  me  with  the  intelligence,  that  I  thought  that  perhaps  some 
near  relative  had  died.  We  could  not  believe  the  news  till  it  was  con- 
firmed; and  the  sorrow  was  greater  on  the  second  day  than  on  the  first 
That  sorrow  was  all  over  our  land,  and  all  over  Europe.  You  may  see 
in  this  week's  "  Independent,"  an  account  of  the  feeling  in  Prussia.  I 
received  a  letter  a  few  days  ago  from  a  brother  of  mine,  who,  although 
the  subject  was  no  longer  new,  speaks  of  it  again  in  the  most  afiecting 
terms,  speaks  of  the  sorrow  all  over  Europe,  and  ends  with  the  remark, 
^  There  is  yet  hope  for  the  nations  that  can  find  tears  over  the  grave  of 
Abraham  Lincoln."    [Applause.] 


92  ADDRESS   OF   MR.    MONOD. 

Let  me  tell  you  a  word  said  about  Lincoln  that  probably  has  not  been 
published,  and  that  may  interest  you.  It  comes  from  M.  Cochin,  who 
is  a  member  of  our  French  Academy,  and  one  of  our  most  able  men,  and 
a  faithfiil,  serious,  and  earnest  man,  belonging  to  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church.  He  has  published  a  book  on  the  results  of  the  emancipation  of 
slaves  everywhere.  It  was  my  privilege  to  be  present  at  a  meeting, 
held  a  few  weeks  ago,  in  M.  Laboulaye's  house,  to  organize  a  French 
Emancipation  Society  for  the  relief  of  your  freedmen.  M.  Cochin  said 
we  must  do  all  we  can  at  once,  using  our  means,  our  pens,  our  tongues, 
because  wherever  the  work  of  emancipation  has  been  done,  it  has  hardly 
been  accomplished  befofe  there  were  people  ready  on  every  side  to 
prove  that  it  would  have  been  better  that  it  had  not  been  done,  for  the 
emancipated  people  were  better  off  before  they  were  freed.  Now  we 
must  go  to  work  and  help  the  American  people  to  disprove,  here  and 
everywhere,  those  statements.  And  about  President  Lincoln,  he  spoke 
in  these  terms  (we  had  not  then  heard  of  his  death) :  "  I  propose, " 
he  said,  '^  that  we  should  send  a  letter  to  that  great  man,  that  honest 
great  man,  who,  in  the  highedt  station  that  the  world  could  give  him, 
not  only  did  not  lose  his  mind,  but  lost  nothing  of  his  heart."   [Applause.} 

And  now  I  only  want  to  call  your  attention  to  one  fact;  which  is,  that 
what  you  are  doing  here,  while  it  will  exert  a  great  influence  on  your  own 
country,  does  not  concern  your  people  only,  but  concerns  the  world.  No 
man  liveth  for  himself,  and  no  nation  liveth  for  itself,  and  yours  least  of 
all.  Europe  is  turned  toward  you  now.  There  was  a  time  when  Amer- 
ican a^rs  were  of  little  interest  in  Europe.  Such  is  not  the  case  now. 
What  has  taken  place  here  has  riveted  our  attention.  It  is  a  little  the 
fault,  too,  of  our  government  They  have  kept  telling  us  for  the  last  four 
years,  "  Look  over  there  to  America,  if  you  want  to  see  the  effects  of  a 
democratic  government;  look  at  their  fighting;  how  awful  it  is;  and 
look  at  their  anarchy."  Just  as  the  old  Spartans  got  a  man  intoxicated, 
and  told  the  children  to  look  at  him  and  take  warning;  so  our  govern- 
ment told  us  to  look  over  here.  And  we  did  look;  and  what  did  we  see? 
We  saw  that  you  could  raise  armies,  and  make  war,  and  furthermore 
that  you  could  win.  We  saw  that  you  could  have  great  generals,  and 
that  you  could  show  such  a  spirit  of  patriotism  and  self-sacrifice  as  was 
unheard  of  before.  We  saw  that  you  were  one  nation,  with  one  heart. 
We  saw  that  you  could  be  guided  by  a  President  who  defended  liberty 
and  union  at  the  same  time;  who  allowed  such  an  amount  of  freedom 
against  him  and  his  administration,  at  his  very  doors,  as  would  not  have 
been  tolerated  in  any  other  land;  and  yet  in  spite  of  it  the  good  cause 
went  forward.  We  saw  that  that  man  was  re-elected  in  the  very  midst 
of  the  war.  We  saw,  at  last,  your  courage  and  perseverance  crowned 
with  success.  We  saw  that  after  the  foulest  murder  ever  committed  had 
plunged  your  country  into  the  depths  of  sorrow,  your  government  was 
unmoved,  unshaken.  We  looked,  and  saw  all  this,  and  we  mean  to  keep 
looking.  But  now  the  government  says,  "  What  are  you  looking  over 
there  for?  Look  at  home."  [Laughter  and  applause.]  The  Emperor's 
cousin  looks,  and  says,  *^  I  declare,  that  is  a  grand  sight;"  whereupon 


ADDRESS   OF   MR.    MONOD.  93 

the  Emperor  says  to  him,  "  I  declare,  you  had  better  hold  your  tongue." 
[Renewed  laughter.] 

Now  that  you  are  (I  was  about  to  say  whether  you  will  or  no,  but  I 
think  you  are  willing  enough)  occupying  such  a  position,  you  have  and 
will  have  a  growing  influence  upon  Europe.  You  will  have  an  influence 
upon  your  Protestant  brethren  in  France.  I  can  not  allow  myself  now  to 
speak  to  you  of  the  state  of  religion  in  France,  though  my  heart  is  full 
of  the  subject.  I  hope  that  I  may  have  an  opportunity,  before  your 
session  closes,  of  making  some  statements  on  that  topic  in  a  special 
meeting;  for  I  am  also  delegated  by  the  Evangelical  Society,  the  domestic 
missionary  society  of  our  free  churches.  Rut  let  me  tell  you  that  our 
principles  are  growing  every  year,  every  week,  every  day.  The  principle 
of  the  separation  of  church  and  state  —  and  I  must  say  a  word  upon 
that  point,  for  Dr.  Yaughan  announced  to  you  yesterday  that  I  would  — 
is  in  France  the  order  of  the  day,  with  three  different  parties,  —  the  Prot- 
estants, the  Catholics,  and  the  Philosophers.  Of  course,  in  each  camp 
there  are  two  sides;  but  the  battle  is  fought  in  every  one  of  these  three 
camps. 

Ab  to  the  Protestants,  we  have  the  free  churches  upon  one  side,  M. 
de  Pressensd,  carrying  out  the  teachings  of  Vinet,  his  master.  Then 
there  is  in  the  national  church,  a  considerable  party  of  evangelical  men, 
who  see,  with  increasing  clearness,  that  the  only  remedy  for  their 
troubles  is  to  cut  themselves  aloof  from  the  state.  Again,  in  that  same 
established  church,  you  have  those  among  the  evangelicals  who  do  not 
wish  for  the  separation  of  church  and  state,  because  they  are  afraid  for 
the  church;  they  think  it  needs  the  protection  of  the  state;  they  are 
attached  to  the  existing  state  of  things,  and  unwilling  to  alter  it.  The 
position  of  the  Liberals  is  singular,  and  well  worth  mentioning.  You 
would  think  that  they  who  called  themselves  Liberals,  —  who  want  every 
man  to  preach  in  our  pulpits  whatever  he  pleases,  so  much  so  that  the 
evangelicals  had  to  discuss  with  them  the  question  whether  any  man  has 
such  a  right  or  not,  that  the  men  who  insist  upon  it  that  there  must  be 
no  general  synod  of  the  church,  would  all  be  for  perfect  independence 
and  for  separation;  but  they  insist  upon  it,  though  in  a  somewhat 
embarrassed  manner,  that  they  do  not  want  the  church  to  be  separated 
from  the  state.  They  know,  if  there  should  be  a  separation,  the  Liberals 
would  inmiediately  find  themselves  separated  from  the  Evangelicals, 
thus  losing  much  of  their  influence,  and  having  to  organize  a  church  of 
^heir  own,  standing  upon  its  own  merits,  and  supported  by  their  own 
people;  and  that  is  what  they  do  not  want. 

Among  the  Catholics,  there  is,  of  course,  a  strong  party  against  the 
separation  of  church  and  state;  and  it  is  represented  by  the  ultra-mon- 
tanists,  who  would  like  the  church  to  swallow  the  state.  Then  there  is 
another  party,  headed  by  Cochin  and  others,  who  think  that  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  would  have  more  prosperity  if  it  had  more  liberty. 

And  flnally,  among  the  Philosophers,  there  are  those,  with  M.  La- 
boulaye  at  their  head,  —  I  call  him  a  philosopher  although  he  is  also  a 
Catholic, —  a  serious,  earnest  man,  and  I  think  an  honest  beUever  in 


94  ADDRESS   OF  MR.   THOMAS. 

Christianity,  who  are  for  the  separation  of  church  and  state.  The 
Temps,  a  very  able,  though  unfortunately  not  a  Christian  paper,  is  very 
strongly  on  that  side.  Finally,  we  have  a  democratic  school,  of  a 
peculiar  kind,  in  which  the  Opinion  Nationale  is  the  chief  exponent. 
They  want  freedom  for  everybody,  except  for  those  whom  they  consider 
as  the  enemies  of  liberty,  for  instance  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  They 
want  them  to  be  supervised  and  restrained.  Others  do  not  want  the 
church  to  be  separated  from  the  state,  because  they  are  afraid  for  the 
church;  but  these  men  do  not  want  it,  because  they  are  afraid  for  the 
state.  That  is,  as  you  well  know,  neither  true  religion  nor  true  de- 
mocracy. 

But  we  shall  come  to  the  point  when  every  man  will  wish  for  separa- 
tion between  the  churches  and  the  state,  with  perfect  freedom  for  the 
churches,  and  perfect  freedom  for  the  state. 

Now  I  have  only  to  thank  you  for  your  attention  and  sympathy,  to 
beg  you  to  excuse  the  time  I  have  consumed,  and  to  express  my  earnest 
desire  and  prayer  that  God's  spirit  may  rest  upon  you,  and  upon  all  that 
you  may  do  during  your  sessions,  and  upon  your  beloved  country,  that  I 
love  as  my  own.  While  the  eyes  of  the  world  are  fixed  upon  you,  let 
your  eyes  be  fixed  upon  Christ,  and  all  will  be  well.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson  stated  that  upon  consultation  with  the  Welsh 
delegation,  three  in  number,  it  had  been  determined  that  Rev.  Dr. 
Thomas  should  respond  in  their  behalf. 

ADDRESS  OF  REV.  JOHK  THOMAS,  D.  D. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thomas,  of  Liverpool,  England,  said  :  — 

I  shall  detain  the  meeting  but  a  very  few  moments.  The  Welsh 
churches  are  so  well  represented  here  by  the  deputation  from  the 
Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales,  headed  by  the  venerable 
Dr.  Vaughan,  whom  we  claim  as  a  Welshman,  that  it  may  appear  very 
unnecessary  for  us  to  stand  before  this  great  convention  as  a  distinct 
deputation.  But,  sir,  the  Welsh  people  are  a  peculiar  people.  We  Uve 
in  a  peculiar  country.  We  speak  a  peculiar  language.  We  possess  a 
peculiar  warmth  of  feeling,  which  no  English  deputation  can  properly 
represent.  [Applause.]  We  have  in  connection  with  our  body,  in  the 
principality  of  Wales,  802  churches,  405  ministers,  about  96,000  commu- 
nicants, upwards  of  100,000  hearers,  and  86,000  Sunday-school  scholars. 
In  the  document  read  by  Dr.  Thompson  yesterday,  you  can  learn  the 
feeling  of  the  Welsh  Congregational  Churches  as  a  body.  I  may  say  a 
word  as  regards,  not  only  the  Congregationalists  in  Wales,  but  the 
Welsh  people  generally.  Our  sympathy  was  entirely  with  you  in  all  your 
troubles.  Hundreds  of  young  Welshmen  died  bravely  upon  your  battle- 
fields. We  have  mothers  in  Wales,  sorrowing  for  their  sons.  And  I 
can  add  that  the  Welsh  press  —  quarterlies,  monthlies,  and  weeklies  — 
was  entirely  upon  your  side.  Not  a  single  quarterly,  or  monthly,  or 
weekly  paper  dared  to  side  with  the  rebellion.    [Applause.]    It  is  trud 


DECLARATION    OF   FAITH.  95 

that  some  did  not  approve  of  your  proceedings;  but  as  to  the  rebellion, 
they  had  no  sympathy  with  it,  and  they  denounced  the  curse  of  slavery 
in  the  strongest  language.  I  bring  to  this  convention  to-day  the  best 
wishes  of  the  Welsh  people  generally;  and  you  will  allow  me  to  say  in 
conclusion,  in  the  language  of  my  own  countrymen:  — 

"  Dymunwch  heddwch  Jerusalem  llwydded  y  rhai  ath  hoffant 
Heddwch  fyddo  ofewn  dy  ragfur  a  fiyniant  yr  dy  balasan.  Er  mwyn 
fy  mrodyr  am  cyfeillion  y  dywedaf  yr  awr  heddwch  fyddo  i  ti.  Er 
mwyn  ty  yr  Arglwydd  rin  Duw  yeisiaf  i  ti  ddaione." 

ITranslatUm,  "Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem,  they  shall  prosper 
that  love  thee.  Peace  be  within  thy  wallSy  and  prosperity  within  thy 
palaces.  For  my  brethren  and  companions'  sakes,  I  will  now  say,  peace 
be  with  thee.    Because  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  I  will  seek  thy  good."] 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  of  New  York,  in  behalf  of  the 
Business  Committee,  presented  the  following  resolution :  — 

^  Whereas  the  attitude  of  various  religious  bodies  in  Europe  toward 
the  United  States  during  the  past  five  years  requires  a  careful  discrim- 
ination and  statement, — 

"  Besolved^  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  prepare  a  suita- 
ble reply  from  this  Council  to  the  delegates  from  foreign  bodies  who 
have  been  heard  before  it" 

Mr.  Beecheb  said :  If  our  cause  has  been  a  cause  involving  every  mor- 
al principle  which  the  world  has  wrought  out  since  the  coming  of  Christ,  — 
and  we  hold  that  it  is,  —  then  the  attitudes  of  prominent  Christian  bodies 
in  regard  to  this  matter  are  not  insignificant  They  reach  very  far  in 
toward  fundamental  questions.  If  they  have  been  right,  it  is  a  matter 
of  signal  gratitude;  and,  if  they  have  been  wrong,  it  is  an  instance  of  the 
inability  of  good  men  to  form  a  sound  moral  judgment  upon  facts  patent 
to  aU  the  world,  which  we  are  not  at  liberty  ourselves  to  pass  by  or  to 
hoodwink  in  any  way.  It  seems  to  me,  therefore,  that  respect  to  our- 
selves not  alone,  but  the  duties  which  we  owe  to  the  cause  of  Christ, 
requires  that  any  reply  made  should  be  made  considerately,  Christianly, 
and  discriminately;  and  that  therefore  a  committee  of  this  kind  would 
far  better  answer  the  ends  of  love  and  justice  than  any  possible  extem- 
porized reply. 

The  resolution  was  agreed  to. 

DECLABATION  OF  FAITH. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  in  behalf  of  the  commit- 
tee, read  the  following  paper :  — 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  preliminary  conference  to  prepare  a 
Declaration  of  Faith,  to  be  submitted  to  the  Council,  respectfully  re- 
port:— 


96  DECLARATION    OF   FAITH. 

That,  In  the  light  of  the  discussions  of  that  conference  upon  the  expe- 
diency of  such  a  Declaration,  and  also  of  the  general  principles  of  our 
polity,  they  could  not  regard  it  as  their  function  to  prepare  a  Confession 
of  Faith  to  be  imposed  by  act  of  this,  or  of  any  other  body,  upon  the 
churches  of  the  Congregational  order.  "  It  was  the  glory  of  our  fathei*s, 
that  they  heartily  professed  the  only  rule  of  their  religion,  from  the  very 
first,  to  be  the  Holy  Scriptures;"*  and  particular  churches  have  always 
exercised  their  liberty  in  "  confessions  drawn  up  in  their  own  forms.*"  * 
And  such  has  been  the  accord  of  these  particular  confessions,  one  with 
another,  and  with  the  Scriptures,  that  we  may  to-day  repeat,  with  thank- 
folness,  the  words  of  the  fathers  of  the  Savoy  Confession,  two  centuries 
ago;  while  "from  the  first,  every,  or  at  least  the  generality  of  our 
churches,  have  been,  in  a  manner,  like  so  many  ships,  —  though  holding 
forth  the  same  general  colors,  —  launched  singly,  and  sailing  apart  and 
alone  in  the  vast  ocean  of  these  tiunultuous  times,  and  have  been  exposed 
to  '  every  wind  of  doctrine,'  under  no  other  conduct  than  the  Word  of  the 

Spirit," yet  "  let  all  acknowledge  that  God  hath  ordered  it  for 

his  high  and  greater  glory,  in  that  his  singular  care  and  power  should 
have  so  watched  over  each  of  these,  as  that  all  should  be  foimd  to  have 
steered  their  course  by  the  same  chart,  and  to  have  been  bound  for  one 
and  the  same  port;  and  that  the  same  holy  and  blessed  truths  of  all 
sorts,  which  are  current  and  warrantable  amongst  all  the  other  churches 
of  Christ  in  the  world,  are  found  to  be  our  lading."  • 

Whatever  the  diversities  of  metaphysical  theology  apparent  in  these 
various  confessions,  they  yet,  with  singular  unanimity,  identify  the  faith 
of  the  Congregational  churches  with  the  body  of  Christian  doctrine 
known  as  Calvinistic;  and  hence  such  Confessions  as  that  of  the  West- 
minster di\ines,  and  that  of  the  Savoy  Synod,  have  been  accredited 
among  these  churches  as  general  symbols  of  faith. 

It  has  not  appeared  to  the  committee  expedient  to  recommend  that 
this  Council  should  disturb  this  "variety  in  unity" — as  Cotton  Mather 
happily  describes  it  —  by  an  attempted  uniformity  of  statement  in  a 
Confession  formulating  each  doctrine  in  more  recent  terms  of  metaphys- 
ical theology:  It  seemed  better  to  characterize,  in  a  comprehensive  way, 
the  doctrines  held  in  common  by  our  churches,  than  thus  to  individualize 
each  in  a  theological  formula.  The  latter  course  might  rather  disturb 
the  unity  that  now  exists  amid  variety.  Moreover,  little  could  be  gained 
in  this  respect  beyond  what  we  already  possess  in  the  ancient  formulas 
referred  to,  which,  being  interpreted  in  the  spirit  in  which  they  were 
conceived,  answer  the  end  of  a  substantial  unity  in  doctrine,  and  have 
withal  the  savor  of  antiquity  and  the  proof  of  use. 

In  the  language  of  the  Preface  to  the  Savoy  Declaration,  a  Confession 
is  "  to  be  looked  upon  but  as  a  meet  or  fit  medium  or  means  whereby  to 
express  a  common  faith  and  salvation,  and  no  way  to  be  made  use  of 

*  Preface  to  the  Confession  adopted  at  Saybrook,  Conn.,  1708. 

•  Cotton  Mather,  Preface  to  "  Faith  professed  by  the  Churches  of  New  England." 

'  Preface  to  the  Savoy  Declaration,  in  Hanbury's  Historical  Memorials,  iii.  523 ;  Ree, 
also,  tn/ra,  p.  2. 


DECLARATION    OF    FAITH.  97 

as  an  imposition  upon  any.  Whatever  is  of  force  or  constraint  in  matters 
of  this  nature  causes  them  to  degenerate  from  the  name  and  nature  of  con- 
fessions, and  turns  them  from  being  confessions  of  faith  into  exactions 
and  impositions  of  faithi"*  Yet  a  common  confession  serves  the  im- 
portant purpose  —  the  "  neglect "  of  which  the  Savoy  fathers  sought 
to  remedy  —  of  making  manifest  our  unity  in  doctrine,  and  of  "  hold- 
ing out  common  lights  to  others  whereby  to  know  where  we  are."  * 

With  these  views,  as  the  result  of  prolonged  and  careful  deliberation, 
the  committee  unanimously  recommend  that  the  Ck)uncil  should  declare, 
by  reference  to  historical  and  venerable  symbols,  the  faith  as  it  has  been 
maintained  among  the  Congregational  churches  from  the  beginning;  and 
also  that  it  should  set  forth  a  testimony  on  behalf  of  these  churches,  for 
the  Word  of  Truth  now  assailed  by  multiform  and  dangerous  errors;  and, 
for  this  end,  they  respectfWy  submit  the  following 

BECITAL  AND  DECLARATION. 

When  the  churches  of  New  England  assembled  in  a  general  synod  at 
Cambridge,  in  1648,  they  declared  their  assent,  "  for  the  substance  there- 
of," to  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith.  When,  again,  these  churches 
convened  in  a  general  ajaod  at  Boston,  in  1680,  they  declared  their  ap- 
proval (with  slight  verbal  alterations)  of  the  doctrinal  symbol  adopted 
by  a  synod  of  the  Congregational  churches  in  England,  at  London,  in 
1658,  and  known  as  the  "  Savoy  Confession,"  which  in  doctrine  is  almost 
identical  with  that  of  the  Westminster  Assembly.  And  yet  again,  when 
the  churches  in  Connecticut  met  in  council  at  Saybrook,  in  1708,  they 
"  owned  and  consented  to  "  the  Savoy  Confession  as  adopted  at  Boston, 
and  offered  this  as  a  public  symbol  of  their  faith. . 

Thus,  from  the  beginning  of  their  history,  the  Congregational  churches 
in  the  United  States  have  been  allied  in  doctrine  with  the  Reformed 
churches  of  Europe,  and  especially  of  Great  Britain.  The  eighth  article 
of  the  "Heads  of  Agreement,"  established  by  the  Congregational  and 
Presbyterian  ministers  in  England  in  1692,  and  adopted  at  Saybrook  in 
1708,  defines  this  position  in  these  words:  "As  to  what  appertains  to 
soundness  of  judgment  in  matters  of  faith,  we  esteem  it  sufficient  that  a 
church  acknowledge  the  Scriptures  to  be  the  Word  of  God,  the  perfect 
and  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  own  either  the  doctrinal  part  of 
those  commonly  called  the  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  or  the 
Confession  or  Catechisms,  shorter  or  larger,  compiled  by  the  Assembly 
at  Westminster,  or  the  Confession  agreed  on  at  the  Savoy,  to  be  agree- 
able to  the  said  rule." 

And  now,  when,  after  the  lapse  of  two  centuries,  these  churches  are 
again  convened  in  a  General  Council  at  their  primitive  and  historical 
home,  it  is  enough  for  the  first  of  those  ends  eniunerated  by  the  synod 
at  Cambridge, — to  wit, "  the  maintenance  of  the  faith  entire,  within  itself," 
—  that  this  Council,  referring  to  these  ancient  symbols  as  embodying,  for 
substance  of  doctrine,  the  constant  faith  of  the  churches  here  represented, 
declares  its  adherence  to  the  same,  as  being  "  well  and  fUlly  grounded 

^  Hanboiy's  Historical  MemoriaU,  iii.  517# 
*  Hanlraxy^B  Historical  Memorials,  iii.  528. 


98  DECLARATION   OF   FAITH. 

upon  the  Holy  Scriptures,"  *  which  is  "  the  only  sufficient  and  invariable 
rule  of  religion."  • 

But  having  in  view,  also,  the  second  end  of  a  public  confession  enumer- 
ated by  the  Cambridge  Synod, — to  wit,  "  the  holding  forth  of  unity  and 
harmony  both  amongst  and  with  other  churches," — we  desire  to  promote 
a  closer  fellowship  of  aU  Christian  denominations  in  the  faith  and  work 
of  the  gospel,  especially  against  popular  and  destructive  forms  of  unbe- 
lief, which  assail  the  foundations  of  all  religion,  both  natural  and  revealed; 
wl^ch  know  no  God  but  nature;  no  Depravity  but  physical  malforma- 
tion, immaturity  of  powers,  or  some  incident  of  outward  condition;  no 
Providence  but  the  working  of  material  causes  and  of  statistical  laws; 
no  Revelation  but  that  of  consciousness;  no  Bedemption  but  the  elimi- 
nation of  evil  by  a  natural  sequence  of  sufferhig;  no  Begeneration  but 
the  natural  evolution  of  a  higher  tyi)e  of  existence;  no  Betribution  but 
the' necessary  consequences  of  physical  and  psychological  laws. 

As  a  testimony,  in  common  with  all  Christian  believers,  against  these 
and  kindred  errors,  we  deem  it  important  to  make  a  more  specific  decla- 
ration of  the  following  truths: — 

There  is  one  personal  God,  who  created  all  things;  who  controls  the 
physical  universe,  the  laws  whereof  he  has  established;  and  who, 'holding 
all  events  within  his  knowledge,  rules  over  men  by  his  wise  and  good 
providence  and  by  his  perfect  moral  law. 

God,  whose  being,  perfections,  and  government  are  partially  made 
known  to  us  through  the  testimony  of  his  works  and  of  conscience,  has 
made  a  farther  revelation  of  himself  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  —  a  revelation  attested  at  the  first  by  supernatural  signs,  and 
confirmed  through  all  the  ages  since  by  its  moral  efiects  upon  the  indi- 
vidual soul,  and  upon  human  society;  a  revelation  authoritative  and  final. 
In  this  revelation,  God  has  declared  himself  to  be  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  he  has  manifested  his  love  for  the  world 
through  the  incarnation  of  the  Eternal  Word  for  man's  redemption,  in 
the  sinless  life,  the  expiatory  sufferings  and  death,  and  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord  and  Saviour;  and  also  in  the  mission  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter,  for  the  regeneration  and  sanctification  of 
the  souls  of  men. 

The  Scriptures,  confirming  the  testimony  of  conscience  and  of  history, 
declare  that  mankind  are  universally  sinners,  and  are  under  the  righteous 
condemnation  of  the  law  of  God;  that  from  this  state  there  is  no  deliver- 
ance, save  through  '^  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ;"  and  that  there  is  a  day  appointed  in  which  God  will  raise 
the  dead,  and  will  Judge  the  world,  and  in  which  the  issues  of  his  moral 
government  over  men  shall  be  made  manifest  in  the  awards  of  eternal 
life  and  eternal  death,  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body. 

Joseph  P.  Thompson. 
Edward  A.  Lawrence. 

Boston,  June  14, 1S65.  GEORGE  P.  FiSHER. 

^  Preface  to  the  Savoy  Confession,  as  adopted  at  Saybrook  in  1708. 
<  Ditto. 


DECLARATION   OP   FAITH.  99 

DEVOTIONAL  EXERCISES. 

The  hour  of  eleven  having  arrived,  the  Council  spent  half  an 
hour  in  devotional  exercises,  singing  several  hymns,  and  prayer 
being  oflfered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Post,  of  Missouri,  Rev.  Mr.  Guernsey, 
of  Iowa,  and  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  of  New  York. 

DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 

The  consideration  of  the  report  of  the  committee  on  a  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  was  resumed. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  The  Council  have  concurred  with  the 
recommendation  of  the  business  committee,  that  the  papers  presented  to 
this  body,  which  did  not  originate  in  the  body,  and  were  not  matured  by 
committees  appointed  by  the  body,  should,  after  being  read  here,  with- 
out discussion  of  the  subject  matter  of  the  reports,  be  referred  to  the 
appropriate  committees.  They  can  be  referred,  sir,  with  or  without 
instructions.  I  rise  to  move  that  this  report  be  referred,  with  instruc- 
tions,— instructions  which  do  not  involve  a  discussion  of  the  merits  of 
the  paper;  and  with  your  leave,  sir,  before  offering  the  motion,  which 
I  have  put  into  writing,  I  will  make  a  remark  or  two  which  will  ex- 
plain it 

This  Council  originated  in  an  overture  from  the  General  Association  I 
of  Illinois.  That  association,  adopting  a  resolution  or  resolutions! 
passed  by  the  Triennial  Convention  of  the  Congregational  Churches  of 
the  Nortii-west,  which  has  the  Theological  Seniinary  of  Chicago  in 
charge,  issued  a  letter  to  the  Congregational  churches  of  other  States, 
asking  them  to  unite  with  them  in  a  preliminary  convention,  for  the 
purpose  of  calling  a  National  Council.  That  proposal  was  responded 
to  by  the  several  State  bodies.  The  Ohio  State  Conference  passed 
a  resolution  expressing  their  concurrence  in  the  recommendations  and 
the  reasoning  of  the  overture,  and,  for  tJie  purposes  therein  spedjiedj 
appointed  a  committee  to  meet  the  committees  of  the  other  State  bodies. 
Their  resolution  was  purposely  thus  guarded.  The  delegation  that  went 
from  our  State  Conference  were  not  authorized  to  introduce  into  the 
progranune  of  the  Council  any  topic  that  was  not  specified  in  the  over- 
ture of  the  General  Association  of  Illinois.  I  regret  not  to  find  that 
paper  embodied  in  the  proceedings  of  the  preliminary  meeting  of  the 
State  committees,  of  which  it  was  the  basis;  but  it  will  not  be  ques- 
tioned, I  suppose,  by  any,  that  that  preliminary  meeting  did  a  larger 
preliminary  work  than  they  were  expected  or  appointed  to  perform,  or 
than  they  themselves  anticipated  when  they  came  together.  The  gen- 
eral exigencies  and  opportunities  of  Christ^s  kingdom  in  this  country, 
with  general  reference  to  which  the  Council  was  to  be  called,  appeared 
to  them,  on  a  survey,  to  embrace  points  which  were  not  in  the  contem- 
plation of  the  State  conferences  when  they  were  appointed.  I  am  sure 
that  it  would  not  be  possible  to  select  from  our  churches  a  company  of 


100  DEGLARATION    OF   FAITH. 

men,  ministers  and  laymen,  in  whose  judgment  the  churches  would 
repose  more  entire  coniQdence  than  in  the  judgment  of  the  brethren  who 
formed  that  preliminary  convention.  But  still  it  is  true,  sir,  that  the 
State  bodies  represented  by  those  committees  were  not  committed  by 
that  convention  to  any  thing  that  was  not  contained  in  the  original 
overture  from  the  General  Association  of  Illinois.  Had  the  question, 
sir,  of  issuing  a  declaration  of  faith  to  the  churches  been  coupled  with 
the  other  recommendations  of  that  overture,  I  doubt  whether  it  would 
have  met  with  general  favor  from  the  churches.  That  jealous  regard 
for  individual  liberty,  for  the  rights  of  conscience  and  of  private  judg- 
ment, which  is  our  original  legacy  and  birthright  as  Congregationalists, 
that  traditional  repugnance  toward  even  the  seeming  introduction  of  any 
rule  or  standard  other  than  that  of  the  word  of  God,  would  have  led 
them  to  regard  a  document  of  this  character,  whatever  the  disclaimers, 
in  that  aspect. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  I  call  the  brother  to  order.  He  is 
entering  into  a  debate  of  the  question,  which  is  to  be  referred  to  the 
committee. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  I  think  it  will  be  seen  that  what  I  have 
said  has  a  bearing  upon  the  motion. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  Undoubtedly  it  has,  —  a  great 
bearing;  but  it  is  debate. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  The  resolution  I  have  to  offer,  is 
this:  — 

Besolved,  That  the  report  be  referred  to  the  appropriate  committee, 
with  instructions  to  consider  the  propriety  of  submitting  to  the  Council 
a  declaration  of  the  common  faith  of  our  churches,  and,  if  thought  ad- 
visable, to  report  such  declaration. 

If  this  document  were  sent  to  the  conmiittee  without  instructions,  they 
would  be  authorized,  I  suppose,  either  to  report  it  back,  or  to  revise  it; 
and  it  would  be  satisfactory,  I  know,  to  many  members  of  this  body,  if 
the  propriety  of  the  issuing  of  such  a  declaration  could  be  considered  by 
the  committee. 

Hon.  Mr.  DoxroLAS,  of  Connecticut  I  understand  that  this  report 
has  been  printed;  but  it  has  not  been  distributed  among  the  members  in 
tMs  vicinity.  I  think  it  proper  that  it  should  be  distributed  before  we 
are  called  upon  to  act  upon  it 

Rev.  Mr.  Bubb,  of  Connecticut  I  would  respectfully  inquire  whether 
the  reference  of  this  document  to  a  new  committee  will  not  delay, 
unnecessarily,  the  proceedings  of  this  Council.  If,  sir,  as  it  seems  to  me 
but  fair  to  presiune,  the  committee  to  be  appointed  shall  have  given  no 
more  attention  to  this  matter  than  most  of  us,  very  considerable  time 
would  be  required  for  them  to  do  justice  to  the  subject  in  a  formal  report. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  I  call  the  brother  to  order.  We  set- 
tled that  matter  yesterday.  If  he  wishes  to  proceed,  he  must  move  a 
reconsideration  of  that  vote. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bubb,  of  Connecticut    I  was  not  aware  of  it,  sir ;  and  I 


BEFORT  ON   RELIGIOUS  EXERCISES.  101 

know  there  are  other  members  here  who  were  not  aware  of  it  I  would 
plead  that  there  was  a  misconception,  on  the  part  of  a  large  namber  of 
the  delegates,  as  to  this  matter.  If  I  had  known  this  report  was  to  be 
referred  in  the  manner  proposed,  I  certainly  should  have  spoken.  I 
don't  think  it  ought  to  be  referred. 

Hon.  Mr.  ELajimoni),  of  Illinois.  My  understanding  was,  that  all 
the  documents  ordered  by  the  preliminary  meeting  at  New  York, 
which  was  only  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  subjects  before  this  Council, 
should  be  read,  and  then  referred  to  special  committees  appointed  for 
each. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  I  submit  that  the  document  has 
already  been  referred  by  the  action  of  the  Council  yesterday,  and  that 
all  the  Council  has  to  do  is  to  appoint  its  committee. 

The  question  was  then  taken  on  the  resolution  offered  by  Dr. 
Wolcott,  and  it  was  adopted. 

REPORT  ON  RELiaiOirS  EXERCISES. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts,  from  the  committee  on 
Devotional  Exercises,  reported  as  follows :  — 

Whereas,  the  Council  has  already  appointed  daily  religious  exer^ 
cises,  and  whereas,  so  much  time  has  already  been  occupied  with  pre- 
liminary business;  therefore,  the  committee  recommend:  — 

1.  That  they  be  permitted  to  report  in  part,  and  continue  their  ses- 
sions. 

2.  That  each  day's  exercises  be  terminated  with  the  use  of  the  dox- 
ology. 

3.  That  in  compliance  with  the  recommendation  of  the  provisional 
committee,  for  a  special  service  of  devotion,  "  for  the  acknowledgment 
of  the  marvelous  and  mercifUl  dealings  of  Almighty  God  with  the  nation 
in  connection  with  the  war,  and  for  supplicating  a  gracious  dispensation 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  land,  that  our  restored  national  unity  may 
be  consecrated  in  righteousness,  and  in  the  peace  and  joy  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  the  Council  meet  in  the  house  of  worship  of  the  First  Church  in 
Charlestown,  to-morrow  afternoon,  at  three  o'clock,  —  the  services  to 
continue  one  hour. 

The  report  was  accepted  and  adopted. 

CHURCH  POLITY. 

The  moderator  called  upon  the  committee  appointed  at  the 
preliminary  meeting  to  prepare  a  statement  of  church  polity, 
for  their  report. 

Bev.  Mr.  Eustis,  of  Connecticut.    I  understand  that  this  report  is  a 


102  CHUBCH  FOUTT. 

long  one,  in  different  chapters,  and  has  been  printed.  The  question  with 
me  is,  whether  it  had  not  better  be  distributed,  and,  when  it  comes  from 
the  committee,  be  read  in  sections,  and  be  acted  upon  in  sections, 
rather  than  be  acted  upon  now.  I  defer,  however,  to  the  opinion  of  the 
committee. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  My  impression  upon  that  subject  is, 
that  the  report  ought  to  be  heard  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear:  it  ought 
to  enter  the  mind  of  every  member  of  the  CouncQ  through  that  channel, 
— the  ear.  Then  it  should  be  distributed,  and  put  int9  the  hands  of 
every  member  of  the  Council,  that  he  may  read  it  with  his  eyes,  and  get 
access  to  it  through  another  medium.  After  that,  I  apprehend  it  will 
not  be  necessary  to  read  it,  either  in  sections  or  otherwise,  again.  Each 
chapter  can  be  read  by  its  title. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  from  the  committee  on  Church  Polity,  then 
read  Parts  I.  and  11.  of  the  report,  as  follows :  — 

To  THE  National  Council  of  Conoreqational  Churches, 

CONVENED  AT  BOSTON,  JUNE  14,  1865. 

Fathers  and  Brethren,  —  In  the  preliminary  conference  which  made 
arrangements  for  this  National  Council,  the  undersigned  and  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Storrs,  of  Cincinnati,  now  in  England,  were  appointed  to  bring 
before  the  Council  "  the  expediency  of  issuing  a  statement  of  Congrega- 
tional polity."  We,  therefore,  ask  leave  to  present  for  the  consideration 
of  this  venerable  assembly,  first,  the  fitness  and  desirableness  of  such  a 
measure;  secondly,  the  principles  which  ought  to  determine  the  charac- 
ter and  contents  of  the  document  to  be  issued;  thirdly,  the  kind  and 
degree  of  authority  with  which  such  a  document,  proceeding  from  this 
Council,  would  be  invested;  and,  fourthly^  the  form  of  a  statement,  to  be 
adopted  with  or  without  amendment,  or  to  be  rejected,  aj9  the  Council 
shall  see  fit. 

I.  The  fitness  and  desirableness  of  a  statement  from  this  Council,  de- 
scribing the  pohty  of  the  Congregational  churches,  may  appear  from 
these  considerations:  — 

1.  In  issuing  such  a  statement,  we  only  fbllow  the  example  of  ancient 
Congregational  synods.  The  Cambridge  Synod,  as  it  is  commonly 
called,  which  assembled  in  1646,  and  was  continued  by  successive  ad- 
journments till  1648,  and  to  which  all  the  churches  of  the  New  England 
colonies  were  invited,  left,  as  a  perpetual  memorial  of  itself,  that  state- 
ment of  Congregational  polity  which  has  ever  since  been  called  the 
Cambridge  Platform.  The  sjmod  of  Congregational  churches  which 
was  convened  under  the  patronage  of  the  English  government  in  1658, 
at  the  Savoy  in  London,  issued  a  "  Declaration  of  the  Faith  and  Order 
owned  and  practised  in  the  Congregational  churches  of  England."  The 
synod  of  the  churches  in  the  colony  of  Connecticut,  which  was  convened 
at  Say  brook  in  1708,  gave  out  that  scheme  of  a  modified  Congregation- 
alism, which,  though  never  formally  adopted  elsewhere  than  in  that 


REPORT   ON   POLITY.  108 

State,  has  had  its  influence  on  onr  churches  in  almost  all  parts  of  our 
country.  And  more  recently,  the  meeting  in  which  the  Congregational 
Union  of  England  and  Wales  was  instituted,  though  it  was  not  prop- 
erly a  synod  or  council  of  churches,  issued  a  declaration,  or  statement, 
describing  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Congregational  churches  in  that 
country. 

2.  A  document  which  shall  exhibit,  with  more  authority  than  can 
belong  to  any  individual  or  local  testimony,  the  system  of  order  actually 
held  by  the  Congregational  churches  in  the  United  States,  is  greatly 
needed.  The  churches  need  it  for  their  own  information  and  guidance. 
Pastors  and  home  missionaries,  and  indeed  all  our  ministers,  need  it. 
Young  men  in  theological  schools,  who  are  preparing  themselves  for  the 
service  of  the  churches,  need  it  Many  whose  ecclesiastical  connection 
is  with  other  portions  of  Christ's  universal  church  need  it,  that  th^ 
minds  may  be  disabused  of  misinformation  or  of  prejudice.  Especially 
is  it  needed  in  the  new  States  and  Territories,  where  ecclesiastical  insti- 
tutions are  yet  to  be  formed;  and  in  the  recovered  States,  so  lately 
ravaged  by  rebellion,  where  ecclesiastical  reconstruction,  disembarrassed 
of  all  connection  with  a  Christianity  apostate  from  the  first  principles  of 
righteousness,  is  hardly  less  important  to  the  future  welfare  of  society 
than  a  new  political  and  social  order. 

3.  No  ancient  document  can  be  wisely  referred  to  as  being  in  all 
respects  sufficient  for  our  present  need.  The  Cambridge  Platform  was 
made  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago,  when  American  Congregation- 
alism was  in  its  infancy;  and  it  is  now  more  valuable  as  a  means  of 
showing  how  little  our  churches  have  departed  from  the  original  princi- 
ples and  methods  of  their  polity,  than  as  a  guide  to  the  manner  in  which 
those  principles  are  applied  and  administered  in  the  practice  of  our 
churches  at  the  present  day.  Indeed,  there  are  portions  of  it  which,  to 
readers  not  versed  in  our  ecclesiastical  history,  nor  familiar  with  the 
technical  terms  of  a  logic  now  obsolete,  are  hardly  intelligible  without  a 
commentary. 

II.  What  sort  of  a  statement  will  best  supply  the  existing  need,  is  a 
question  which  seems  to  answer  itself.  There  is  no  need  of  an  argumen- 
tative or  rhetorical  defense  of  Congregationalism  to  be  issued  by  this 
assembly.  Such  expositions  of  our  polity  may  proceed  more  fitly  from 
individuals  than  from  any  representative  body.  On  the  other  hand,  a 
simple  statement  of  the  two  or  three  first  principles  which  constitute  the 
radical  difierence  between  Congregationalism  and  other  theories  of 
church  government,  would  not  be  sufficient  Those  first  principles  are 
only  the  points  of  divergence  between  diflering  systems;  and  how  wide 
the  divergence  is,  can  not  be  shown  but  by  tracing  out  the  application  of 
the  principles.  A  simple  and  perspicuous  statement,  not  only  of  the 
principles  on  which  our  polity  is  founded,  but  also  of  the  usages  and 
arrangements  which  those  principles  have  established  among  us,  and  in 
which,  by  common  consent,  they  are  applied  and  made  practical,  will 
be,  it  is  believed,  of  great  use  to  our  churches,  both  in  their  internal 
administration  and  in  their  fellowship  with  each  other. 


104  GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

III.  The  authority  of  any  document  issued  by  this  assembly  of  elders 
and  messengers  is  wholly  unlike  the  authority  which  is  claimed  for  the 
canons  enacted  by  the  various  assemblies  of  clergy  and  delegates  which 
assume  to  govern  the  particular  churches  under  them.  It  is  little  more 
than  a  truism  to  say  that  this  Council  has  no  legislative  power  to  ordain 
a  new  constitution  for  the  Congregational  churches,  or  to  make  any  new 
law,  and  no  judicial  power  to  establish  precedents  which  inferior  judica- 
tories must  follow.  All  that  a  council  like  this  can  do  is  to  inquire,  to  delib- 
erate, and  to  testify.  The  testimony  of  this  assembly  concerning  what 
is  and  what  is  not  tiie  Congregational  polity,  cannot  but  have  whatever 
authority  belongs  to  the  testimony  of  competent  witnesses,  assembled  in 
a  great  multitude,  well  informed  concerning  the  matter  in  question,  and 
representing  all  ^^  those  Congregational  churches  in  the  United  States  of 
America  which  are  in  recognized  fellowship  and  cooperation  through 
the  general  associations,  conferences,  and  conventions  in  the  several 
States."  Whatever  authority  the  Cambridge  Platform  has  as  testifying 
what  the  Congregational  polity  of  our  fathers  was  in  1648,  just  that 
authority  a  similar  statement,  proceeding  from  this  assembly,  will  have 
as  testifying  what  American  Congregationalism  is  in  1865. 

rV.  The  undersigned,  therefore,  respectfully  submit  the  accompanying 
form,  or  draught,  of  a  statement  to  be  issued  by  this  Council,  together 
with  a  briefer  document  stating  substantially  the  same  points.  We  have 
not  presumed  to  insert  any  novelties,  nor4o  express  our  individual  pref- 
erences, but  only  to  state  the  usages  of  the  churches.  A  comparison  of 
our  draught  with  the  Cambridge  Platform  will  show  how  closely  we 
have  followed  that  time-honored  instrument  in  the  general  plan,  in  the 
arrangement  of  topics,  and  in  language,  and,  at  the  same  time,  how 
freely  we  have  departed  from  it,  whether  for  the  sake  of  increased  per- 
spicuity, or  for  the  sake  of  exhibiting  the  Congregational  polity  as  it  is 
in  fact  to-day,  instead  of  exhibiting  it  as  it  was  in  theory  when  our 
fathers,  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago,  were  beginning  to  build  on 
this  continent  the  living  and  ever-living  temple  of  our  God. 

Leonard  Bacon. 
Alonzo  H.  Quint. 

BosTOK,  June  14, 1866. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  AND  FELLOWSHIP  PRACTISED  BY 
THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES  IN  THE  UNITED 
STATES. 

PART  L  — PRELIMINARY  PRINCIPLES. 

CHAPTBR  I.  —  DKFUnTlON  AND  RULE  OF  CHURCH  POLITT. 

1.  The  first  principle  from  which  the  polity  of  the  Congregational 
churches  proceeds,  is,  that  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  especially  the 
Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament,  are  the  only  authoritative  rule  for  the 


GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  105 

constitution  and  administration  of  church  government;  so  that  no  other 
rule  than  those  which  are  warranted  by  Christ  and  his  apostles  can  be 
imposed  on  Christians  as  conditions  of  membership  and  communion  in 
the  church. 

2.  Ecclesiastical  polity,  therefore,  or  church  government  and  disci- 
pline, is  that  assodatian  of  believers  for  imited  worship  and  spiritual 
communion,  in  order  to  the  visibility,  the  purity,  the  advancement,  and 
the  perpetuity  of  Christ's  kingdom,  which  God  has  prescribed  by  the 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Scriptures. 

CHAFTEB  n.  —  THE  OATHOLIO  CHUBCH  AND  A  PABTICULAB  CHUBCH. 

1.  Christ's  catholic  or  universal  church  is  the  great  company  of  God's 
elect,  redeemed  and  effectually  called  from  the  state  of  sin  and  death  into 
a  state  of  reconciliation  to  God. 

2.  The  church  universal  is  either  triumphant  or  militant.  They  who 
have  come  out  of  the  great  tribulation,  and  have  entered  into  the  joy  of 
their  Lord  in  heaven,  are  the  church  triumphant  They  who  are  still 
serving  Christ  on  the  earth,  and  contending  with  the  powers  that  rule  the 
darkness  of  this  world,  are  the  church  militant 

3.  The  universal  church  on  earth  is  not  invisible  merely,  as  discerned 
by  God  who  searches  the  hearts  and  knows  the  relation  of  every  individ- 
ual soul  to  Christ,  but  is  visible,  also,  as  including  all  who  profess  to 
believe  in  Christ,  and  do  not  wholly  contradict  that  profession  by  ungod- 
liness in  their  lives,  or  by  denying  the  essential  truths  of  the  gospel. 

4.  The  visible  church  catholic,  as  it  includes  all  visible  Christians, 
comprehends  not  only  such  particular  churches  as  are  constituted  and 
governed  according  to  the  word  given  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  but  also 
all  assemblies  of  Christian  believers  and  worshipers,  even  though,  in 
things  not  essential  to  the  Christian  faith,  they  err  through  the  force  of 
tradition  or  the  infirmity  of  human  judgment;  and  it  is  governed,  not  by 
the  pretended  vicar  of  Christ,  nor  by  any  human  authority  assuming 
to  have  jurisdiction  over  all  particular  churches,  but  only  by  Christ  him- 
self through  his  word  and  spirit 

6.  As  we  renounce  the  notion  of  an  organized  and  governed  catholic 
church,  which  has  no  warrant  from  the  Scriptures ;  so  we  renounce  the 
equally  unwarranted  action  of  a  national  church,  having  jurisdiction  over 
the  particular  churches  in  a  nation.  Under  the  gospel,  the  organized 
and  governed  church  is  not  ecimienical,  nor  national,  nor  provincial,  nor 
diocesan,  or  classical,  but  only  local  or  parochial,  —  a  congregation  of 
faithful  or  believing  men,  dwelling  together  in  one  city,  town,  or  convene 
lent  neighborhood. 

6.  A  local  or  Congregational  church  is,  by  the  institution  of  Christ,  a 
part  of  the  militant  visible  church,  consisting  of  a  company  of  saints  by 
calling,  united  into  one  body  by  a  holy  covenant,  for  the  public  worship 
of  God,  and  their  own  mutual  edification,  in  the  fellowship  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

7.  All  particular  churches,  being  the  one  body  of  Christ,  and  having 


106  OOVERKMENT    AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  are  bound 
to  maintain  and  hold  forth  the  catholic  communion  of  saints,  endeavoring, 
in  their  intercourse  and  relations  one  with  another,  to  keep  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. 

PART  n.  THE  CHURCH:  ITS  FORM,  ORGANIZATION,  AND  GOVERNMENT. 

CHAFTKB  I. —  HOW  A  PARTICULAB  CHURCH  18  ORGASIZED. 

1.  The  visible  church  consists  of  those  who  belong  to  Christ,  and  are, 
therefore,  in  the  phrase  of  our  ancient  platform,  ^^  saints  by  calling,"  and 
who,  being  holy  by  their  calling  and  profession,  are  gathered  out  of  the 
ungodly  world,  and  united  in  a  holy  fellowship. 

2.  Those  who  visibly  belong  to  Christ  are,^r»i,  such  as  have  not  only 
attained  a  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  religion,  and  are  free  from 
gross  and  open  scandals,  but  also  do  profess  their  personal  faith  and 
repentance,  and  walk  in  blameless  obedience  to  the  word;  and,  secondly y 
their  children,  who,  being  children  of  the  covenant,  are  also  holy. 

3.  The  members  of  one  church  ought  ordinarily  to  dwell  in  such 
vicinity  to  each  other  that  they  can  meet  in  one  place;  so  that  every 
city,  town,  or  convenient  neighborhood,  shall  have  its  own  church  com- 
plete and  distinct.  And  ordinarily  the  members  of  one  church  ought 
not  to  be  more  in  number  than  can  conveniently  meet  for  worship  in 
one  assembly,  and  manage  their  affairs  by  one  administration.  Yet,  if 
there  be  many  congregations,  distinct  from  each  other,  in  one  town  or 
city  (whether  their  several  parishes  be  distinguished  by  geographical 
lines  or  otherwise)  they  ought  to  regard  themselves  and  each  other 
as  so  many  branches  of  Christ's  one  catholic  church  in  that  place. 

4.  Those  believers  who  dwell  together  in  one  place  become  a  particu- 
lar and  distinct  church,  by  their  recognition  of  each  other,  and  their 
mutual  agreement,  express  or  implied,  wherein  they  give  themselves 
unto  the  Lord  to  the  observing  of  the  ordinances  of  Christ  in  the  same 
society.  Such  a  recognition  and  agreement  is  usually  called  the  church 
covenant 

6,  Different  degrees  of  explicitness  in  such  an  agreement  do  not  affect 
the  being  of  the  church,  or  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  membership. 
The  more  explicit  and  solemn  the  act  of  covenanting,  the  more  are  the 
members  reminded  of  their  common  and  mutual  duties,  and  the  less  room  is 
there  for  uncertainty  in  distinguishing  between  those  who  are  members  and 
those  who  are  not  Yet  the  whole  essence  and  meaning  of  the  covenant 
are  in  fact  retained,  where  the  agreement  of  certain  believers  to  meet 
constantly  in  one  congregation  for  worship  and  edincation,  is  expressed 
only  by  their  practice  of  thus  meeting,  and  their  actual  use  and  observ- 
ance of  Christ's  ordinances  in  their  assembly.  However  explicit  the 
covenant  may  be,  it  can  reasonably  and  rightfiilly  express  nothing  more 
than  a  mutual  agreement  to  observe  all  Christ's  laws  and  ordinances  as 
one  church;  and,  however  informal  the  agreement  may  be,  it  can  mean 
nothing  less. 


C 


GOVEENMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  107 

6.  All  believers,  having  the  opportunity,  should  endeavor  to  become 
members,  every  one,  of  some  particular  church,  that  they  may  honor 
Christ  by  their  professed  conformity  to  the  order  and  ordinances  of  the 
gospel,  and  that  -they  may  have  the  benefits  of  visible  union  and  fellow- 
ship with  the  church,  which  is  the  communion  of  the  saints.  These  benefits 
axe^  first,  a  participation  in  the  promise  of  Christ's  special  presence  with 
his  Church;  secondly,  their  increased  activity  and  enjoyment  in  the 
Christian  life  by  the  combination  of  their  affections  and  their  endeavors, 
and  by  their  inciting  each  other  to  love  and  good  works;  thirdly,  watch- 
ful and  fraternal  help  to  keep  each  other  in  the  way  of  God's  command- 
ments, and  to  recover,  by  due  admonition  and  censure,  any  that  go 
astray;  and,  fourthly,  aid  in  the  Christian  nurture  and  training  of  their 
children,  that  their  households  may  be  holy,  and  their  posterity  be  not 
cut  off  from  the  privileges  of  the  covenant  Should  all  believers  neglect 
this  duty  of  voluntarily  entering  into  organized  Christian  fellowship,  to 
which  duty  they  are  moved  by  all  the  impulses  of  a  renewed  and  holy 
mind,  Christ  would  soon  have  no  visibly  associated  and  organized  church 
on  earth. 

OHAPTXB  IL  —  god's  INBTITUTSD  WOBBHIP  IN  THB  CITUBCH. 

1.  Believers  joined  to  each  other  and  to  Christ,  in  a  church  relation, 
are  builded  together  for  a  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit,  on  the 
foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the 
chief  comer-stone;  in  whom  all  the  building,  fitly  framed  together, 
groweth  into  a  holy  temple  of  the  Lord. 

2.  The  worship  of  God  in  his  spiritual  temple,  the  church,  includes 
prayer,  the  singing  of  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  the  minis- 
try of  the  word,  the  sacraments,  and  the  contribution  of  gifts  and 
offerings  for  the  service  of  Christ* 

3.  Prayers  offered  in  the  church  should  be  grave  and  earnest,  lifting 
up  the  thoughts  and  desires  of  the  assembly  to  God ;  they  should  be  offered 
not  in  any  prescribed  and  inflexible  form,  but  freely,  according  to  the  vicis- 
situdes of  need  and  trial,  and  of  joy  or  sorrow,  in  the  church  or  in  its 
households;  they  should  be  offered  for  all  men,  for  those  who  are  in 
authority,  for  the  welfare  of  the  civil  state,  and  for  the  universal  church 
of  Christ  on  earth;  and  in  the  matter  and  manner  they  should  be  con-' 
formed  to  such  models  as  the  Scriptures  give,  and,  above  all,  to  that 
model  which  Christ  himself  gave  to  his  disciples  that  he  might  teach 
them  how  to  pray. 

4.  Singing  in  the  church  is  not  for  the  delight  of  the  sense  as  in  places 
of  amusement,  but  for  the  union  of  voices  and  hearts  in  worship,  and  for 
spiritual  edification.  The  Psalms  which  God  gave  by  the  Holy  Spif  it  in 
the  Old  Testament  are  sanctioned  for  us  by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and 
remain  in  the  church  for  ever,  to  be  used  in  praising  God.  There  is  war- 
rant, also,  in  the  New  Testament  for  the  use  of  hymns  and  spiritual  songs, 
but  not  to  the  exclusion  or  neglect  of  the  Psalms. 

5.  The  ministry  of  the  word  in  the  church  is  by  the  reading  of  the 


\ 

108  GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

Scriptures,  with  such  exposition  as  may  aid  the  hearers  in  their  personal 
and  family  searching  of  the  Scriptures;  and  also  by  preaching  and  teach- 
ing, that  the  truths  and  principles  which  God  has  revealed  in  his  law 
and  in  the  gospel  of  his  grace  may  be  set  forth  distinctly  in  their  man- 
ifestation of  the  glory  and  government  of  God,  in  their  relations  to  each 
other,  and  in  all  their  applications  to  the  duties  of  men  and  to  the  sal- 
vation of  sinners. 

6.  The  two  sacramental  institutions  of  the  New  Testament,  represent- 
ing significantly,  and  commemorating  through  all  ages,  the  two-fold 
grace  of  God  offered  in  the  gospel,  as  they  are  to  be  observed  by  all 
believers,  are  also  to  be  administered  in  every  church.  Baptism,  wherein 
the  purifying  element  of  water  signifies  and  holds  forth  the  inward  wash- 
ing of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  God  shed  on 
men  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  is  most  becomingly 
administered  in  the  church,  whether  on  converts  from  without  or  on  the 
children  of  the  covenant,  and  should  be  administered  in  simplicity,  with 
no  addition  of  vain  or  superstitious  ceremonies.  In  like  manner,  the 
Lord's  Supper,  wherein  his  disciples,  partaking  of  the  bread  and  cup, 
partake  of  Ms  body  which  was  broken  for  us,  and  of  his  blood  which  was 
shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins,  is  to  be  celebrated  in  all  simplic- 
ity, according  to  the  recorded  words  of  the  institution,  without  any 
mixture  of  human  inventions. 

7.  In  the  place  of  the  tithes  and  the  offerings,  which  were  part  of  God's 
instituted  worship  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  are  the  free  gifts  of 
Christ's  disciples  to  his  suffering  brethren  and  to  his  cause  and  service. 
The  contribution  in  the  church  is  not  a  secular  thing,  intruded  into  the 
house  of  God  for  mere  convenience'  sake,  and  adverse  to  spiritual  edifica- 
tion, but  is  itself  an  act  of  grateful  homage  to  Christ  as  well  as  of  com- 
munion with  his  brethren. 

CHAPTBR  m.  —  CHURCH  POWER. 

1.  Church  power,  under  Christ,  resides  primarily,  not  in  the  officers 
of  the  church,  nor  in  any  priesthood  or  clergy,  but  in  the  church;  and  it 
is  derived  through  the  church,  to  its  officers  from  Christ. 

2.  Church  power  is  not  legislative,  but  only  administrative.  It  extends 
no  further  than  to  declare  and  apply  the  law  of  Christ.  No  church  has 
any  lawful  power  to  make  itself  other  than  simply  a  church  of  Christ, 
in  which  the  mind  of  Christ,  as  made  known  in  the  Scriptures,  shall  be 
the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  As  no  church  may  lawfully  add 
any  thing  to  the  sum  of  Christian  doctrine,  or  take  any  thing  therefrom ; 
BO  no  church  may  lawfully  add  any  thing  to,  or  take  any  thing  from,  the 
rulea  of  Christian  living,  and  the  conditions  of  Christian  fellowship, 
which  the  Scriptures  prescribe. 

OHAPTKR  IV.  —  CHURCH  OFFICERS. 

1.  Though  church  officers  are  not  necessary  to  the  mere  existence  of 
a  church,  yet  to  its  well-being,  and  to  the  performance  of  its  functions, 


GOVERNMENT  AND   FELLOWSHIP.  109 

• 

officers  are  necessary.    Therefore  they  are  appointed  by  Christ's  institu- 
tion, and  are  counted  among  the  gifts  of  his  triumphal  ascension  to  glory. 

2.  The  powers  and  functions  of  church-officers  are  not  to  be  confounded 
with  the  powers  and  functions  of  the  apostles  and  other  extraordinary 
ministers  of  Christ,  who  were  sent  forth  at  the  beginning  of  the  gospeL 
Nor  are  any  church  officers  to  be  recognized  as  holding  their  official 
power  in  the  succession  from  the  apostles,  or  as  having  any  of  that 
authority  over  all  the  churches  with  which  the  apostles  were  invested. 

3.  Church  officers,  according  to  the  arrangement  which  the  apostles 
instituted  in  every  church,  are  of  two  sorts,  —  bishops,  or  elders,  and  dea- 
cons. 

4.  The  office  of  elder,  or  bishop,  in  the  church  is  two-fold:  to  labor  in 
word  and  doctrine,  and  to  rule.  As  laboring  in  word  and  doctrine,  elders 
are  pastors  and  teachers,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ;  and  in  order  jto  this, 
they  are  rightly  to  divide  the  word  of  truth,  and  to  administer  those 
sacramental  ordinances  in  which  the  grace  of  the  gospel  is  visibly  set 
forth  and  sealed.  Like  all  whom  God  has  put  into  the  ministry  of  his 
gospel,  they  are  to  preach  the  word,  and  are  to  be  instant  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  reproving,  rebuking,  exhorting,  with  all  long-suffering  and 
patience,  holding  forth  the  faithful  word,  that  they  may  be  able  by  sound 
doctrine  both  to  exhort  and  to  convince  the  gainsayer.  As  ruling  in  the 
church,  they  are  to  be  not  lords  over  God's  heritage;  but  being  the  ser- 
vants of  all,  for  Jesus'  sake,  they  are  to  watch  for  souls  as  they  that  must 
give  account.  They  are  to  open  and  shut  the  doors  of  God's  house  by  the 
admission  of  members  approved  by  the  church,  by  ordination  of  officers 
approved  by  the  church,  by  excommunication  of  obstinate  offenders 
denounced  by  the  church,  and  by  restoring  penitents  forgiven  by  the 
church.  They  are  to  call  the  church  together  when  there  is  occasion, 
and  seasonably  to  dismiss  them  again.  They  are  to  prepare  matters  for 
the  hearing  of  the  church,  that  in  public  they  may  be  carried  to  an  end 
with  less  trouble  and  more  speedy  dispatch.  They  are  to  preside  in  the 
meetings  of  the  church,  whether  for  public  worship  or  for  the  transac- 
tion of  church  business.  They  are  to  be  guides  and  leaders  in  all  matters 
pertaining  to  church  administration  and  church  actions;  but  they  have 
no  power  to  perform  any  church  act  save  with  the  concurrence  and  by 
the  vote  of  the  brotherhood.  They  are  to  care  for  the  spiritual  health 
and  growth  of  individual  members,  and  to  prevent  and  heal  such  offenses 
in  life  or  doctrine  as  might  corrupt  the  church;  and  they  are  to  visit  and 
pray  over  their  brethren  in  sickness  when  sent  for,  and  at  such  other  times 
as  opportunity  shall  serve. 

5.  The  number  of  elders,  or  bishops,  in  a  particular  church  is  neither 
prescribed  nor  limited,  but  is  to  be  determined  by  the  discretion  of 
the  church  itself,  in  view  of  its  ability  and  its  need.  In  the  primitive 
churches,  a  plural  eldership  seems  to  have  been  the  rule,  and  not  the 
exception.  In  the  American  Congregational  churches,  at  the  beginning, 
it  was  thought  needful  that  every  church  should  have  at  least  three 
elders,  of  whom  two  were  to  labor  in  word  and  doctrine,  and  the  other 


110  OOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

was  to  be  associated  with  them  in  all  their  work  as  bishops,  or  overseers 
of  the  flock.  While  no  church  is  rightfully  subjected  to  any  presbytery 
exterior  to  itself,  every  church  should  have  its  own  presbytery.  The 
modem  usage,  concentrating  all  the  powers  and  responsibilities  of  the 
eldership  in  one  person,  is  founded  on  convenience  only,  and  is  excep- 
tional rather  than  normaL  Whether,  instead  of  one  elder,  who  under 
the  title  of  pastor  performs  the  whole  work  of  the  eldership  in  a  church, 
there  shall  be  two  or  three,  or  more,  among  whom  the  work  of  public 
preaching  and  the  work  of  ruling  and  oversight  shall  be  divided,  is  a 
question  which  every  church  may  determine  for  itself,  without  infringing 
any  principle  of  order. 

6.  Inasmuch  as  the  duty  of  contributing  for  the  poor  saints,  for  the 
support  and  advancement  of  the  church,  and  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel, 
is  incumbent  on  all  disciples  of  Christ  according  to  their  ability,  and  is 
essential  to  the  communion  of  saints;  and  inasmuch  as  the  Lord's  Day 
is  especially  designated  as  a  day  for  such  contributions;  the  church  is 
provided  with  officers  for  that  service.  Deacons  are  chosen  in  every 
church  to  help  the  elders,  not  by  taking  part  in  the  public  ministry  of 
the  word,  nor  by  ruling  in  the  church,  but  chiefly  by  serving  tables. 
Their  office  is  to  receive  the  contributions  and  whatever  gifts  are  ofiered 
to  the  church;  to  keep  the  treasury  of  the  church;  and  to  distribute 
from  it  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  especially  of  those  in  communion,  for 
the  supply  of  the  Lord's  table,  and,  if  needful,  for  the  support  of  the 
ministry.  As  almoners  of  the  church,  they  are  to  care  for  the  poor,  to 
know  them  personally,  to  inquire  into  their  wants  and  affiictions,  and  to 
be  the  organ  of  commimication  between  them  and  the  brotherhood. 

7.  Other  officers  than  bishops  and  deacons  are  not  provided  for  the 
church  by  any  precept  or  example  in  the  Scriptures.  Yet  it  is  in  the 
power  of  the  church  to  designate  any  member  or  members  to  the  per- 
formance of  a  certain  work,  such  as  that  of  a  scribe  or  clerk  and  keeper 
of  the  records,  or  that  of  the  superintendents  or  teachers  in  a  Sabbath- 
school,  or  that  of  a  committee  for  some  inquiry.  In  designating  flt 
persons  to  perform  such  duties,  it  institutes  no  new  order  of  church 
officers,  but  only  distributes  among  its  members  certain  duties  which  are 
oonunon  to  the  brotherhood. 


CHAFTEB  V.  —  SLECTION  AKD  ORDINATION  OF  OHURCH-OFFICEB8. 

1.  Though  no  man  may  assume  an  office  in  the  church  but  he  that  is 
called  of  God,  the  call  of  bishops  and  deacons  is  not,  like  that  of 
the  apostles,  immediately  from  Christ,  but  mediately  through  the 
church. 

2.  Those  who  are  to  bear  office  in  the  church  should  first  be  proved 
by  thorough  acquaintance  and  trial,  and  should  be  known  and  Well 
reported  of  as  having  not  only  the  needful  gifts,  but  also  those  graces 
and  virtues  which  the  Scriptures  prescribe  as  qualifications  of  bishops  or 
of  deacons. 

3.  A  church,  being  free,  can  not  become  subject  to  any  but  by  a  free 


GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  Ill 

election;  yet  when  such  a  people  do  choose  any  to  be  over  them  in  the 
Lord,  then  do  they  become  subject,  and  most  wiUingly  submit  to  the 
divinely  authorized  ministry  of  those  whom  they  have  chosen. 

4.  Church  officers  are  not  only  to  be  chosen  by  the  church,  but  are 
also  to  be  ordained  by  laying-on  of  hands  and  prayer,  with  which,  at  the 
ordination  of  elders,  fasting  is  also  to  be  joined.  This  ordination  is  the 
solemn  and  public  induction  of  the  chosen  officer  into  his  place  and 
office,  like  the  inauguration  of  a  magistrate  in  the  commonwealth. 
Such  ordination  of  a  pastor  or  teacher  is  his  induction  into  the  work  of 
ministering  in  the  word;  and  if  he  be  afterwards  dismissed  from  his 
eldership  in  that  church,  and  be  called  to  a  like  office  in  another 
church,  it  is  not  deemed  necessary  that  his  installation  in  his  new  place 
be  with  the  laying-on  of  hands.  Yet  we  protest  against  the  superstitious 
notion,  that  consecration  to  the  ministry  by  imposition  of  hands  intro- 
duces the  person  into  a  hierarchal  or  priestly  order,  and  so  may  not  be 
repeated. 

5.  In  a  church  which  has  elders,  the  laying-on  of  hands  in  ordination 
is  to  be  performed  by  those  elders.  But  if  the  church  be  destitute  of 
elders,  then  other  fit  persons,  elders  of  other  churches,  or  ministering 
brethren  not  in  office,  or  (if  need  be)  brethren  who  have  not  been  called 
and  set  apart  to  minister  in  the  word  of  God,  may  be  deputed  by  the 
church  to  perform  this  service ;  and  the  laying-on  of  their  hands,  with 
prayer  and  fasting,  is  a  fit  and  sufficient  induction  of  the  chosen  elders 
or  bishops,  not  less  than  of  deacons,  into  the  office  to  which  they  have 
been  designated. 

6.  Neither  a  deacon,  nor  an  elder  or  bishop,  is  an  officer  in  any  other 
church  than  that  which  elected  him  to  his  office ;  nor  can  he  perform 
official  acts  in  another  church,  otherwise  than  at  the  invitation  of  that 
church,  and  by  a  power  derived  through  them  from  Christ;  for  as  no 
church  has  authority  over  another  church,  so  no  church  can  invest  its 
officers  with  authority  over  other  churches. 

CRAFTKR  VI. —  MAmTENANCE  OF  CHURCH  OFFICERS. 

1.  The  duty  of  every  church  to  provide  a  sufficient  and  honorable 
support,  according  to  its  ability,  for  the  officers  who  give  their  time 
and  strength  to  its  service,  is  evident  in  itself,  and  is  expressly  enjoined 
by  the  Scriptures.  Every  member  of  the  church  in  his  place,  and  in  the 
measure  of  his  ability  to  contribute,  is  responsible  for  this  duty. 

2.  Inasmuch  as  not  only  the  covenanted  members  of  the  church,  but 
all  who  are  taught,  may  be  reasonably  expected,  and  should  be  encour- 
aged, to  bear  their  part  in  the  expense  of  building  the  house  of  God  and 
sustaining  the  ministry  of  the  word,  the  civil  incorporation  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal societies,  or  parishes,  in  connection  with  churches,  is  a  natural 
arrangement  of  Christian  civilization  in  a  free  commonwealth.  The  form 
in  which  a  society  may  be  incorporated,  for  the  legal  ownership  of  eccle- 
siastical property  and  the  support  of  public  worship,  is  determined  by 
the  laws  of  the  state;  but  the  church,  as  a  spiritual  fellowship,  electing 


112  GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

and  ordaining  its  own  officers,  and  worshiping  God  according  to  the 
New  Testament,  holds  its  charter  only  from  Christ,  and  may  not 
surrender  its  spiritual  rights  and  powers  to  any  civil  corporation. 
Therefore,  the  independence  of  the  church  in  the  choice  of  its  own  offi- 
cers, and  in  all  its  discipline,  and  in  the  conduct  of  its  worship,  must  be 
steadfastly  guarded.  At  the  same  time,  the  right  of  the  parish  or 
ecclesiastical  society,  as  a  legal  corporation  (including  or  representing 
all  who  in  any  equitable  manner  aid  in  the  support  of  public  worship), 
to  control,  within  the  limits  of  its  trust,  the  use  and  expenditure  of  its 
own  property,  must  be  recognized.  While  the  church  is  at  liberty  to 
elect  whom  it  will,  and  as  many  as  it  will,  to  be  church  officers,  it  can 
not,  by  its  own  authority,  require  the  parish  to  assume  the  burden  of 
supporting  them.  Thus,  in  the  election  and  settlement  of  a  pastor  or 
other  officer  who  is  to  be  supported  by  the  parish,  the  concurrent  votes 
of  the  church  and  the  parish  are  necessary. 


CHAFTSB  Vn.  —  ADMISSION  OF  MEMBERS  INTO   THE  CHTTRCH,  AKD  DISMISSION  OV 

MKMBERS  FROM  ONE   CHURCH  TO  ANOTHER. 

1.  The  things  which  are  requisite  in  all  church  members  are  repent- 
ance from  sin,  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ;  and,  therefore,  these  are  the 
things  whereof  men  are  to  be  examined  at  their  admission  into  the 
church,  and  which  then  they  must  profess  and  hold  forth  in  such  sort 
as  may  satisfy  rational  charity  that  the  things  are  there  indeed. 

2.  The  weakest  measure  of  faith  is  to  be  accepted  in  those  that  desire 
to  be  admitted  into  the  church,  because  weak  Christians,  if  sincere,  have 
the  substance  of  that  penitent  faith  and  holiness  which  is  required  in 
church  members ;  and  such  have  most  need  of  the  ordinances  for  their 
confirmation  and  growth  in  grace.  Such  charity  and  tenderness  are  to 
be  used,  that  the  weakest  Christian,  if  sincere,  may  not  be  excluded  or 
discouraged. 

3.  It  is  not  needful  that  the  profession  of  repentance  and  faith  should 
be  always  in  the  same  form  of  words;  but  it  must  always  be  in  such 
words  as  are  satisfactory  to  the  church,  and  must  be  accompanied  by  a 
professed  engagement  to  walk  with  the  church  according  to  the  gospel. 

4.  Such  personal  profession  is  required  not  only  of  those  who  have 
not  been  before  in  any  church  relation,  but  also  those  who,  having  been 
born  and  baptized  in  the  church,  may  be  considered  as  in  some  sort 
hereditary  members;  for  they,  too,  must  credibly  show  and  profess  their 
own  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
before  they  come  to  the  Lord's  table  or  are  recognized  as  members  in  full 
communion. 

6.  A  church  member,  removing  his  residence  to  another  place,  does 
not  thereby  throw  off*  his  responsibility  to  the  church  with  which  he  is 
in  covenant.  If  his  removal  is  permanent,  he  ought  to  seek,  and,  unless  he 
is  liable  to  some  just  censure  (in  which  case  he  must  be  dealt  with  as  an 
offender),  he  has  a  right  to  receive,  a  letter  of  dismission  and  commenda- 
tion to  an  evangelical  church  in  the  place  of  his  new  residence;  or,  if 


GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  113 

there  be  no  such  chnrch  in  that  place,  to  any  such  church  with  which  he 
can  have  communion  statedly  in  Christian  ordinances.  But  his  dismis- 
sion can  not  take  effect  till  he  shall  be  received,  as  a  member,  by  the 
church  to  which  he  has  been  commended. 

6.  A  church  is  not  bound  to  receive  a  member  merely  because  of  hia 
dismission  and  commendation  from  another  church;  but  if  it  find  any 
just  ground  of  objection  to  him,  it  may  remit  the  case  to  the  considera- 
tion of  the  church  from  which  he  came,  and  of  which  he  is  still  a  mem- 
ber. 

OHAPTKR  Vm. — THB  MSTHOD  OF  DEALING  WITH  OFFENDEB8. 

1.  The  censures  of  the  church  are  appointed  for  the  prevention  and 
removal  of  offenses  and  the  recovering  of  offenders;  for  purging  out  the 
leaven  which  may  infect  the  whole  lump;  for  vindicating  the  honor  of 
Christ  and  of  his  church,  and  the  profession  of  the  gospel;  and  for  pre- 
venting the  displeasure  of  God,  that  may  justly  fall  upon  the  church  if 
they  suffer  his  covenant,  and  the  seals  thereof,  tor  be  profaned  by  noto- 
rious and  obstinate  offenders. 

2.  Censures  of  the  church  are  of  two  sorts, —  admonition  and  excommu- 
nication. 

3.  If  an  offense  be  private,  one  brother  trespassing  against  another, 
the  offender  is  to  go  and  acknowledge  his  repentance  of  it  unto  his 
offended  brother,  who  is  then  to  forgive  him.  But  if  the  offender  neglect 
or  reftise  to  do  this,  then  (1)  the  brother  offended  is  to  go  and  admon- 
ish him  privately,  between  themselves.  If  thereupon  the  offender  be 
brought  to  repent  of  his  offense,  the  admonisher  hath  won  his  brother. 
But  if  the  offender  hear  not  his  brother,  then  (2)  the  offended  is  to  take 
with  him  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every 
word  may  be  established,  whether  the  word  of  admonition,  if  the  offender 
receive  it,  or  the  word  of  complaint,  if  he  refuse.  (3)  If  the  offender  be 
not  recovered  by  that  second  admonition,  the  offended  brother  is  then  to 
tell  the  church.  If  the  church  find  that  the  complaint  is  well  founded,  it 
admonishes  the  offender;  and  then  if  he  hear  the  church,  and  penitently 
confess  his  fault,  he  is  recovered  and  gained,  and  is  to  be  forgiven.  But 
if,  after  being  admonished  by  the  church,  he  be  not  yet  convinced  of  his 
fault,  and  ready  to  profess,  frankly,  his  repentance  of  it,  he  remains 
under  the  censure  of  admonition,  which  of  itself  excludes  or  suspends 
him  from  the  holy  fellowship  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  till  either  the  offense 
is  removed  by  his  penitent  confession,  or  the  church,  after  reasonable 
forbearance,  proc^eed  to  cast  him  out  by  excommunication. 

4.  When  the  offense  is  already  public  and  notorious,  and  is  of  such  a 
character  as  to  be  infamous  among  men,  a  more  summary  proceeding  is 
authorized  by  the  Scriptures.  The  church,  without  waiting  for  an  indi- 
vidual complaint,  or  for  the  effect  of  private  admonition,  may  take  notice 
of  the  notorious  fact,  and  cast  out  the  offender  without  delay,  for  the 
mortifying  of  his  sin,  and  the  saving  of  his  soul  in  the  day  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  as  well  as  for  the  vindication  of  the  gospel  which  he  has  dishon- 

8 


114  GOVEENMBNT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

ored.    Yet  no  offender  may  be  censured  without  trial  and  the  opportu- 
nity of  being  heard. 

5.  In  dealing  with  an  offender,  great  care  is  to  be  taken  that  we  be 
neither  too  rigorous  nor  too  indulgent  Our  proceeding  ought  to  be 
with  a  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  ourselves  lest  we  also  be  tempted. 
Yet,  the  winning  and  healing  of  the  offender's  soul  being  the  end  of  these 
endeavors,  we  must  be  earnest  and  thorough,  not  healing  the  wounds  of 
our  brethren  slightly. 

6.  While  the  offender  remains  excommunicated,  the  church  is  to  refrain 
from  all  communion  with  him  in  spiritual  things,  and  also  from  all  famil- 
iar communion  with  him  in  civil  things,  further  than  the  necessity  of 
natural,  domestic,  or  civil  relations  may  require.  Yet,  while  there  may 
be  any  hope  of  his  recovery,  we  are  to  be  kindly  watchful  for  signs  of 
repentance  in  him;  not  counting  him  an  enemy,  but  admonishing  him  as 
a  brother. 

7.  If  the  censure  be  made  effectual  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  so  that  the 
excommunicated  person  repents  of  his  sin,  and  with  confession  desires 
to  be  restored,  the  church  is  thereupon  to  forgive  him;  and  as  the  cen- 
sure was  public,  he  is  to  be  publicly  absolved  or  loosed  from  the  censure, 
and  restored  to  full  communion. 

8.  It  is  doubtless  of  great  importance  to  the  welfare  of  the  church, 
that  profane  and  scandalous  persons  be  not  permitted  to  continue  in  its 
fellowship,  and  to  partake  at  the  Lord's  table;  and  the  church  which 
neglects  to  deal  with  such  members,  and  to  use  the  discipline  of  the 
Lord's  house  for  their  reformation  or  their  exclusion,  is  greatly  to  be 
blamed.  Yet  such  a  church  is  not  therefore  to  be  immediately  forsaken 
and  renounced  by  those  who  would  live  godly  in  Jesus  Christ  Nor 
is  it  reasonable  that  any  individual  member  of  that  church  should  there- 
fbre  withdraw  himself  from  the  Lord's  table.  In  so  doing,  he  wrongs 
his  own  soul  by  denying  to  himself  the  appointed  means  of  grace,  and 
wrongs  the  church  by  adding  another  scandal  to  that  which  he  would 
rebuke.  Let  him  rather  endeavor,  modestly,  and  seasonably,  according 
.to  his  power  and  place,  that  the  unworthy  may  be  duly  proceeded  against 
by  the  church  to  whom  that  duty  belongs. 


CHAPTER  IX.  —  RBLATIOH  OF  THE  CHURCH  TO  CIVIL  GOVERNMENT,  AIO)  THE 

COMFUCT  OF  LAWS. 

1.  The  right  of  the  church  to  assemble  for  worship,  to  observe  Christ's 
ordinances,  to  hold  forth  the  word  of  life  by  public  preaching  and  by 
private  communication,  to  receive  into  its  communion  those  who  give 
evidence  of  repentance  and  faith,  and  to  admonish  offenders  or  exclude 
them,  is  not  a  mere  concession  from  the  civil  power,  but  is  part  of  that 
religious  liberty  which  Christ,  by  commanding  his  gospel  to  be  preached 
to  every  creature,  challenges  for  all  men,  and  which  no  human  govern- 
ment can  suppress  or  violate,  without  incurring  the  displeasure  of  God. 

2.  The  law  which  the  church  administers  in  its  discipline  is  not  merely 
the  law  of  the  land,  nor  the  law  of  common  use  and  opinion,  but  the 


OOVEBNMENT   AND  FELLOWSHIP.  115 

higher  law  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures;  for  that  which  is  highly 
esteemed  among  men '  conformed  to  this  worid  may  be  abominable  to 
God  and  to  men  enlightened  by  his  word  and  spirit.  If  wickedness  go 
unpunished  in  the  civil  State,  or  be  even  honored  by  public  opinion,  it  is 
not  therefore  to  be  tolerated  in  the  church.  If  the  law  of  the  land  require 
of  any  man,  under  whatever  penalties,  that  which  the  law  of  God  forbids 
him  to  do,  or  if  it  forbid  him  to  do  what  the  law  of  God  requires,  it  is 
better  to  obey  God  rather  than  men;  and  the  church  is  to  require  of  all 
its  members  obedience  to  the  higher  law  of  God.  Yet,  inasmuch  as  the 
Scriptures  require  of  every  Christian  soul  subjection  to  existing  powers 
in  the  civil  State,  whether  Christian  or  anti-Christian,  the  duty  of  loyalty 
to  government,  of  conscientious  obedience  to  every  law  which  does  not 
positively  require  what  God  forbids,  or  forbid  what  God  requires,  and 
of  patient  submission  to  persecution  or  other  injustice  when  there  is  no 
lawful  redress,  is  a  duty  of  religion  which  the  discipline  of  the  church 
must  honor  and  maintain. 

3.  With  matters  properly  and  exclusively  political,  the  church  has  no 
concern;  for  Christ's  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  But  with  matters 
of  morality  and  religion,  the  church,  in  the  administration  of  its  disci- 
pline, and  in  the  testimony  which  it  is  to  give  for  God,  has  much  to  do. 
Especially  in  a  free  commonwealth,  where  the.  government  proceeds  con- 
tinually from  the  people,  the  church  is  bound  to  testify,  in  its  discipline 
and  in  its  teaching,  against  wicked  laws  and  institutions,  not  fearing  to 
assert  and  apply  the  law  of  God,  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  whatever 
may  be  the  contradiction  of  sinners,  and  whatever  the  conflict  between 
that  supreme  law  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  the  laws  ordained  of  men,  or 
the  institutions  and  usages  of  society.  Thus,  the  moral  sense  of  com- 
munities and  nations  must  be  corrected  and  enlightened,  and  must  be 
made  to  advance  with  the  progress  of  the  church,  till  Christ  shall  be 
honored  in  all  lands  as  King  of  kii^gs,  and  Lord  of  lords,  the  blessed  and 
only  Potentate.    [Continued  on  page  118.] 

At  this  point,  the  hour  of  adjournment  having  nearly  arrived, 
Dr.  Bacon  paused,  and  said  that,  as  it  would  be  impossible  to 
conclude  the  report  this  forenoon,  he  would  not  enter  upon  the 
third  part,  but  would  read  the  remainder  of  the  document,  with 
the  leave  of  the  Council,  in  the  afternoon. 

A  motion  was  made  that  the  hour  of  adjournment  in  the 
afternoon  be  six  o'clock,  instead  of  five. 

Rev.  Mr.  Wellman,  of  Massachusetts,  suggested  that  five  and  a  half 
o'clock  would  be  a  better  hour,  inasmuch  as  six  would  interfere  with  the 
convenience  of  many  delegates  who  lodged  out  of  the  city.  He  moved 
to  amend  the  motion,  so  that  it  should  read  five  and  a  half  o'clock,  instead 
of  six. 

The  amendment  was  accepted  by  the  mover. 


116  GOVESiafSNT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

Bev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  MassachuBetts,  opposed  the  motion.  He  thought 
six  hours  a  day  were  as  much  as  they  could  profitably  sit  at  this 
season,  and  that  they  would  probably  accomplish  as  much  in  that  time 
as  they  would  if  they  should  make  the  change  proposed. 

The  question  was  put,  and  the  motion  lost. 

LETTER  FBOH  MASSSACHUSETTS  CONVENTION  OF  CONOBEOATIONAL 

MINISTERS. 

Key.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts.  I  have  a  communication  to  read, 
and  I  desire  to  say,  as  prelimmary,  in  order  that  all  piresent  may  under- 
stand how  it  comes  here,  that  the  Massachusetts  Convention  of  Congre- 
gational Ministers  is  a  body  that  had  an  existence  before  the  days  of 
Unitarian  separation;  that  it  had  funds  in  its  possession  for  the  widows 
of  poor  ministers;  and  that,  on  account  of  that  peculiar  condition  of 
things,  the  convention  has  continued  to  exist  until  this  day,  and  includes 
all  Congregational  ministers  in  Massachusetts,  whether  Orthodox  or 
Unitarian  in  their  faith.    This  communication  comes  from  that  body:  — 

"To  THE  Moderator  of  the  National  Council  of 

Congregational  Ministers. 

^^Dear  8ir^ — ^Will  you  please  lay  before  the  Council  the  following  reso- 
lution, passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  Convention  of  Congre- 
gational Ministers,  held  in  Boston,  May  31, 1865:  — 

' "  Besolved,  That  the  National  Council  of  Congregational  Churches,  to 
be  held  in  this  city  on  the  14th  of  June  next,  be  respectfully  requested 
to  use  such  language,  in  their  ofl3cial  procedures  as  a  Trinitarian  Congre- 
gational Council,  as  shall  recognize  the  fact  that  there  are  Unitarian  and 
other  Congregational  churches  in  this  Commonwealth. 

"  Very  respectfully, 
[Signed]  "  James  H.  Means, 

"  Scribe  of  the  Convention, 
^  DoBCHKSTKB,  Juie  12, 1866.'* 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts.  As  this  is  a  communication  which 
should  be  respectfully  received,  and  the  subject  to  which  it  refers  care- 
fully considered,  I  move  that  it  be  referred  to  a  special  committee  of 
three,  to  draft  an  appropriate  reply. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut  I  wish  to  propose  that  the 
committee  also  take  into  consideration  the  very  great  necessity  and  im- 
portance of  making  a  distinction,  in  our  minutes  and  in  all  our  phraseol- 
ogy, between  Baptist  and  Pcdobaptist  Congregational  churches.  The 
cases  are  entirely  parallel,  and  I  wish  the  conmiittee  would  report  upon 
both  of  them. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut    And  also  the  Universalists. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  of  New  York.  I  hope  that  the  suggestions 
which  have  now  been  made  will  not  be  pressed  upon  the  committee. 

The  Moderator.    I  supposed  they  were  suggestions  only. 


GOVBRNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  117 

Rev.  Dr.  BimrN'OTON.  If  they  are  suggestions,  simply,  I  will  not 
occupy  the  time  of  the  Council  by  remarking  upon  them.  There  are 
very  grave  considerations  at  the  bottom  of  this  communication,  and  I 
trust  they  will  be  very  prayerfully  and  carefully  considered,  as  they 
deserve  to  be. 

The  motion  of  Bev.  Mr.  Quint  was  then  put,  and  carried. 
Adjourned. 

ATTERNOON  SESSION. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order  at  3  o'clock,  by  the  mod- 
erator. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  Business  Committee,  reported  the 
following  as  the  progranmie  for  the  afternoon  :  — 

That  after  the  reading  of  the  papers  upon  the  evangelization  of  the 
West  and  South,  and  Church  Building,  the  next  business  in  order  be  the 
/  Report  on  Ministerial  Education,  and  that  the  Rev.  Edward  A.  Walker, 
Who  has  just  returned  ftom  Italy,  desiring  to  speak  upon  Congregation- 
alism in  that  country,  the  reading  of  papers  be  suspended  at  twenty 
minutes  before  Ave,  in  order  to  afford  him  an  opportunity  to  do  so. 

The  report  was  accepted  and  adopted. 

CHURCH  POLITY. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon  then  resumed  the  reading  of  the  report  on 
church  polity,  as  follows :  — 

PART  m.  — THE  COMMUNION  OF  CHURCHES. 

CHAPTER  I.  —  PRINCIPLES  AXD  SPECIFICATIOXfS. 

1.  Although  churches  are  distinct,  and  therefore  may  not  be  con- 
founded one  with  another,  and  equal,  and  therefore  have  not  dominion 
one  over  another;  yet  all  the  churches  ought  to  preserve  church  com- 
munion one  with  another;  because  they  are  all  united  to  Christ  as 
integral  parts  of  his  one  catholic  church-militant  against  the  evil  that  is 
in  the  world,  and  visible  in  the  profession  of  the  Christian  faith,  in  the 
observance  of  the  Christian  sacrament,  in  the  manifestation  of  the  Chris- 
tian life,  and  in  the  worship  of  the  one  God  of  our  salvation,  the  Father, 
and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

2.  The  communion  of  churches  with  each  other  is  manifested  in  vari- 
ous acts  of  fraternal  courtesy,  correspondence,  and  helpfulness:  — 

(1.)  In  mutual  recognition ;  one  organized  congregation  of  Christian 
worshipers  acknowledging  another  to  be  a  visible  church  of  Christ, 
and  each  professing  a  readiness  to  interchange  with  the  other  all  reason- 
able acts  of  Christian  courtesy  and  love. 


118  GOVERNMENT  AND  FELLOWSHIP. 

(2.')  In  admitting  members  of  one  church  to  commune,  as  such,  at  the 
Lord's  table  in  another  church,  and  refusing  to  admit  them  if  they  are 
under  censure. 

(3.)  In  permitting  and  inviting  ministers  of  the  word,  recognized  and 
accredited  as  such  by  one  church,  to  speak  for  Christ  in  another  church. 

(4.)  In  the  dismission  and  reception  of  members,  when  for  any  suffi- 
cient reason  they  pass  from  one  church  to  another. 

(5.)  In  giving  and  receiving  advice  when  one  church  desires  counsel 
of  another  and  of  many  others. 

(6.)  In  giving  and  receiving  help;  as  when  one  church  gives  of  its 
members  that  another  may  be  supplied  with  officers;  or  as  when  one 
church  receives  outward  support  from  the  contributions  of  another  or 
of  many  others. 

(7.)  In  consultation  and  co-operation  for  each  other's  edification  and 
prosperity,  or  for  the  common  interest  of  the  gospeL 

(8.)  In  giving  and  receiving  admonition ;  as  when  there  is  found  in  a 
church  some  public  offense  which  it  either  does  not  discern,  or  neglects  to 
remove;  for  though  churches  have  no  more  authority  one  over  another 
than  one  apostie  had  over  another,  yet  as  one  apostle  might  admonish  an- 
other, so  may  one  church  admonish  another,  and  yet  without  usurpation;  in 
which  case,  if  the  admonished  church  refuse  to  hear  its  neighbor  churches 
and  to  remove  the  offense,  it  violates  the  communion  of  churches. 

3.  The  Congregational  churches  in  the  United  States  of  America,  as 
Integral  portions  of  Christ's  catholic  church,  maintain  all  practicable 
communion  with  all  other  portions  of  the  church  universal.  While  other 
churches  differ  from  us  in  their  internal  polity,  in  their  relations  and 
connections  with  each  other,  in  their  forms  of  worship,  or  in  the  unin- 
spired statements  and  definitions  of  doctrines  disputed  among  Christians, 
and  while  we  disown  their  schemes  of  hlerarchal  or  synodical  govern- 
ment, we  acknowledge  as  particular  churches  of  Christ  all  congregations 
of  Christian  worshipers  that  acknowledge  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  their 
supreme  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  Christ  as  the  Lamb  of  God  who 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  We  pray  for  their  peace  and  pros- 
perity. We  invite  their  members  to  occasional  communion  with  us  in 
worship  and  in  sacramental  ordinances.  We  receive  their  letters  of  dis- 
missal and  commendation,  and,  in  return,  dismiss  our  members,  as  occa- 
sion may  require,  with  letters  of  commendation  to  them.  We  are  ready 
to  be  edified  by  their  ministers;  and,  in  all  reasonable  and  hopefiil 
methods,  we  are  ready  to  consult  and  co-operate  with  them  for  the 
advancement  of  the  gospel. 

4.  As  some  acts  of  the  communion  of  the  churches  are  due,  in  one 
degree  and  another,  to  all  the  Integral  parts  of  Christ's  catholic  church, 
so  other  acts  of  communion  are  specially  due  from  churches  Instituted 
and  governed  according  to  the  Congregational  polity  to  other  churches 
instituted  and  governed  according  to  the  same  polity.  Certain  acts  of 
communion  are  not  practicable  between  churches  congregationally  gov- 
erned and  churches  that  are  imder  a  hlerarchal  or  synodical  govern- 
ment;   and  certain  acts  of  communion  are  not  practicable  between 


GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  Il9 

churches  which  seriously  differ  from  each  other  in  the  system  of  doctrine 
which  they  declare,  respectively,  from  the  Scriptures,  even  though  they 
recognize  each  other  as  holding  that  faith  which  is  necessary  to  salvation. 
A  church  desiring  the  approbation  and  assistance  of  other  churches,  in 
the  ordination  of  its  oflScers,  can  not  wisely  or  courteously  ask  such  appro- 
bation and  assistance  from  churches  in  whose  professed  theory  of  gov- 
ernment all  ordinations  must  be  by  a  prelate,  or  in  whose  theory  the 
power  of  ordination  is  given  only  to  a  presbytery  ruling  over  many 
congregations.  In  like  manner,  if  it  desire  counsel  in  any  case  involving 
questions  of  doctrine,  it  can  not,  wisely  or  courteously,  ask  such  counsel 
of  churches  not  accepting  that  general  system  of  doctrines  which  is  the 
well-known  basis  of  mutual  confidence  and  intimate  communion  among 
churches  of  the  Congregational  polity. 

5.  The  more  intimate  communion  existing  among  these  churches  is 
exercised  in  asking  and  giving  counsel,  in  giving  and  receiving  admoni- 
tion, in  various  acts  of  helpfulness  toward  churches  needing  help  from 
others,  and  in  conferences  and  consultations  for  the  parochial  revival  and 
prosperity  of  religion,  or  the  general  advancement  of  Christ^s  kingdom.. 

CHAPTER  n.  —  COUNCILS. 

1.  Councils  of  churches,  orderly  assembled  to  declare  the  opinion  of 
the  churches  on  any  matter  of  common  concern,  are  an  ordinance  of 
Christ,  and  are  necessary  to  a  communion  of  the  churches.  That  scrip- 
tural example,  where  the  church  at  Antioch  sent  messengers  to  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  for  consultation  and  advice  in  a  dilBcult  question, 
is  a  sufficient  warrant  for  such  councils. 

2.  The  churches  invited  to  assist  in  a  council  are  represented  by  mes- 
sengers or  delegates,  chosen  by  them  for  the  particular  occasion.  By 
ancient  usage,  the  pastor  of  a  church,  having  been  duly  recognized  as  ite 
presiding  elder  or  bishop,  is  always  expected  to  be  one  of  its  messengers; 
and  the  letters  convening  the  council  invite  each  church  to  be  represented 
by  its  pastor  and  delegate.  Yet  in  the  council,  when  convened,  there  is 
no  distinction  of  authority  between  the  pEistor  and  other  delegates. 

3.  It  is  manifest,  from  the  reason  of  the  case,  that  in  ordinary  cases  a 
council  ought  to  be  made  up  chiefly  of  churches  in  the  near  vicinity.  But 
when  a  council  is  called  to  advise  in  some  personal  or  parochial  contro- 
versy which  involves  strong  sympathies  and  interests  in  the  surrounding 
region,  it  may  be  expedient  to  ask  counsel  from  more  distant  churches, 
rather  than  exclusively  from  those  near  at  hand. 

4.  A  council  is  to  be  called  only  by  a  church,  or  by  an  aggrieved 
member  or  members  in  a  church  which  has  unreasonably  refused  a 
council,  or  by  a  competent  number  of  believers  intending  to  be  gath- 
ered into  a  church.  In  a  difficulty  or  controversy  between  the  church 
and  its  elder  or  elders,  or  between  the  church  and  some  other  person  or 
party  in  the  church,  if  a  coimcil  is  desired,  and  the  church  consents,  the 
churches  to  constitute  the  council  are  selected  by  agreement  between  the 
parties,  and  are  invited  by  letters-missive  from  the  church;  and  this  is 


120  GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

called  a  mutual  council.  If  a  church  unreasonably  refuses  to  call  a  mu- 
tual council,  then  an  ex  parte  council  may  be  invited,  by  letters-missive 
from  the  aggrieved  member  or  members. 

6.  An  ex  parte  council,  properly  called,  has  the  same  standing,  and  is 
entitled  to  the  same  respect,  as  a  mutual  council ;  for  it  were  imreason- 
able  that,  in,  case  of  grievance,  either  party  should  be  deprived,  by  the 
obstinacy  of  the  other,  of  such  relief  as  the  neighboring  churches  could 
give.  But,  that  it  may  be  properly  convened,  it  is  requisite,  (1)  that 
there  be  proper  groimd  for  calling  a  council;  (2)  that  one  party,  proj)- 
erly  requested,  has  unreasonably  refused  to  join  in  calling  a  mutual  coun- 
cil; (3)  that  the  ex  parte  council  is  called  upon  the  statement  of  the 
original  grounds  for  asking  a  council,  and  of  the  unreasonable  refusal  of 
the  other  party  to  join;  and,  (4)  that  the  churches  invited  be  impartially 
selected.  When  assembled,  the  ex  parte  council  should  first  offer  itself 
to  the  reflising  party,  as  a  mutual  council. 

6.  Councils  consist  solely  of  such  churches  as  are  invited,  with  the 
occasional  addition  of  persons  whose  advice  is  especially  desired.  After 
being  called,  no  church  or  person  can  be  added  to  or  taken  from  the 
proper  members  in  any  manner.  For  the  letters-missive  having  speci- 
fied the  churches  and  persons  invited,  each  church  appointed  its  dele- 
gates upon  that  knowledge  of  those  with  whom  it  was  asked  to  asso- 
ciate. 

7.  Councils  are  not  to  be  convened  upon  every  ground  of  dissatisfac- 
tion with  a  church,  nor  in  cases  of  light  moment  They  are  proper  only 
upon  some  matter  of  common  interest  to  the  churches,  such  as  the  rela- 
tions of  fellowship  between  churches;  or  the  relation  of  a  member  to  th€ 
communion  of  other  churches;  the  relation  of  pastors  and  churches;  the 
reputation  of  the  brotherhood  of  churches,  as  affected  by  the  acts  or  con- 
dition of  a  church;  or  matters  of  general  interest  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 
They  are  in  no  such  sense  such  courts  of  appeal  that  they  may  alter  or 
rescind  any  act  of  a  church.  Yet,  in  cases  of  censure,  if  the  proceedings 
complained  of  are  found  to  have  been  in  gross  violation  of  the  rules 
given  in  the  Scriptures,  the  council  may  advise  and  declare,  that,  in  its 
judgment,  the  censure  complained  of  is  wrong,  and  may  commend  the 
censured  person  to  be  received  by  some  other  church,  as  a  member  in 
frill  communion. 

Particular  occasions  for  councils  are  such  as  these:  — 
(1.)  When  a  competent  number  of  Christian  brethren  propose  to  unite 
in  a  church  covenant,  and  desire  to  be  recognized  as  a  church  in  the 
more  intimate  communion  of  Congregational  churches,  the  ordinary  and 
most  orderly  method  of  obtaining  such  recognition  is  by  an  ecclesiastical 
council,  invited  for  that  purpose  by  their  letters  to  a  convenient  number 
of  churches,  and  especially  of  churches  in  the  near  vicinity.  Having 
given  to  that  council,  when  assembled,  a  satisfactory  statement  of  their 
faith  and  order,  and  of  the  reasons  for  their  becoming  a  distinct  church, 
together  with  sufficient  evidence,  not  only  of  their  Christian  character, 
but  also  of  their  fitness  in  respect  to  gifts  and  numbers,  for  perform- 
ing the  duties  of  a  church,  they  receive,  as  a  church,  the  right  hand 


GOVERNMENT    AND  FELLOWSHIP.  121 

of  fellowship  extended  to  them  by  the  council,  in  behalf  of  all  the 
churches. 

(2.)  The  induction  of  a  pastor  or  teacher  into  his  office,  in  any  church, 
or,  on  the  other  hand,  the  dismission  of  such  an  officer  from  his  place, 
concerns  the  communion  of  the  churches.  Therefore  an  ecclesiastical 
council  is  convened  for  the  ordination  or  installation  of  a  pastor,  and, 
in  like  manner,  for  his  dismission  at  his  own  request  A  due  respect 
to  the  communion  of  the  churches  requires  that  no  man  assuming  to 
be  a  pastor  of  a  church  shall  be  acknowledged  as  such  by  other  churches, 
unless,  at  or  after  his  entrance  on  the  duties  of  the  office,  he  has  been 
publicly  recognized,  by  receiving  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  from  neigh- 
boring churches,  through  a  council  convened  for  that  purpose.  The 
welfare  of  the  churches,  in  their  intimate  communion  with  each  other, 
requires  this  safeguard.  In  like  manner,  the  communion  of  churches 
requires  that  no  minister  dismissed  from  his  charge  shall  be  regarded 
as  having  sufficient  credentials  of  his  good  standing,  unless  he  is  duly 
commended  by  a  council  convened  on  the  occasion  of  his  dismission. 

(3.)  When  difficulties,  whether  internal  or  external,  threaten  the  peace 
and  spiritual  prosperity  of  any  church,  and  are  not  likely  to  be  adjusted 
without  aid,  or  when  any  question  arises  on  which  the  church  needs 
advice  for  the  guidance  and  correction  or  confirmation  of  its  own  judg- 
ment, that  church  has  a  right  to  ask  the  advice  of  other  churches  with 
which  it  is  in  communion.  To  such  an  advisory  council  the  trial  of  a 
difficult  case  is  sometimes  referred.  The  council  examines  the  questions 
referred  to  it,  whether  questions  of  fact  or  questions  of  principle  and 
duty;  it  pronounces  its  conclusions,  but  it  has  no  power  to  inflict  any 
church  censure,  or  to  absolve  from  censure.  It  can  only  advise  the 
church;  and  the  church,  by  accepting  and  adopting  the  result  of  the 
council,  carries  the  advice  into  effect. 

(4.)  When  a  member  against  whom  charges  have  been  preferred  re- 
quests the  calling  of  a  council  for  the  trial  of  those  charges,  and  the 
church  consents  to  the  request,  or  when,  in  any  manner,  parties  have  arisen 
who  desire  a  council  for  the  hearing  of  the  questions  between  them,  the 
churches  to  constitute  the  council  are  mutually  agreed  upon  between 
the  parties.  Yet  a  mutual  council  is  not  convened  in  the  name  of  the 
parties,  but  in  the  name  of  the  church.  But  in  such  cases  a  refusal  on 
the  part  of  the  church  to  agree  to  call  a  council  before  trial,  does  not 
give  any  occasion  for  an  ex  parte  council 

(5.)  When  a  member,  having  been  censured  by  the  church,  conscien- 
tiously protests  that  the  censure  is  not  according  to  the  facts,  or  that  it 
is  not  warranted  by  the  word  of  God,  he  may  respectfWly  ask  the  church 
to  join  with  him  in  calling  a  mutual  council  for  anew  hearing  of  his  case; 
and,  that  request  being  denied  by  the  church  without  sufficient  reason,  he 
may  appeal  to  other  churches  for  advice,  and  for  such  relief  as  they  may 
find  reason  to  give  him,  and  may  invite  them  to  meet  in  an  ex  parte 
council.  Or  when  a  portion  of  any  church  has  been  seriously  aggrieved 
by  such  action  of  the  church  as  causes  public  scandal  to  the  cause  of 
C^iriat,  and  their  request  for  a  council  has  been  denied  by  the  church, 


122  GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

they  may  in  like  manner  appeal  to  other  churches  for  a  hearing  of  their 
cause  and  for  advice  concerning  their  duty. 

(6.)  When  a  member  liable  to  no  just  censure  has  requested  letters  of 
dismission  and  recommendation  to  some  other  recognized  church,  and 
the  request  is  refused,  he  may  request  the  church  to  invite  a  council  to 
hear  (he  case;  and,  if  the  church  refuses,  he  may  himself  ask  a  council 
to  give  him  relief. 

(7.)  When  a  pastor  or  other  ordained  minister  in  any  church  is 
charged  with  offenses  which  would  render  it  proper  that  he  be  deposed 
from  the  ministry,  then  the  church  should  invite  a  council  to  examine 
the  charges;  if  they  be  proven,  the  council  should  advise  that  fellowship 
be  withdrawn  from  him,  and  that  he  be  no  longer  recognized  as  a  Chris- 
tian minister. 

8.  The  council,  when  assembled,  organizes  itself  by  the  choice  of  a 
moderator  and  scribe,  that  its  proceedings  may  be  orderly  and  deliber- 
ate, and  may  be  duly  written  down  for  the  use  of  those  whom  the  result 
concerns.  If  half  of  the  churches  invited  be  not  represented,  those  pres- 
ent ought  not  to  proceed  to  actj  unless  the  party  inviting  consents.  Be- 
ing a  representative  body,  its  functions  are  limited  to  the  subjects  specified 
in  the  letters-missive.  In  voting,  it  was  an  ancient  and  laudable  custom 
that  each  church  give  its  voice  as  a  church,  and  not  that  the  messengers 
vote  as  individuals;  but  this  custom  is  not  universal.  Having  properly 
deliberated,  and  made  up  its  decision,  the  council  is  forthwith  to  be  dis- 
solved; and  the  scribe  is  to  convey  a  copy  of  its  proceedings  and  advice 
to  the  parties  concerned. 

9.  The  decision  of  a  coimcil  is  only  advisory.  Yet  it  is  to  be  received, 
with  reverence  and  subinission,  (unless  inconsistent  with  the  Scriptures) 
as  the  voice  of  the  churches,  and  as  an  ordinance  of  God  appointed 
thereunto  in  his  word.  In  CEises  of  difference,  therefore,  the  party  adopt- 
ing the  advice  of  council  is  entitled  to  the  sympathy  and  commendation 
of  the  churches,  rather  than  the  one  rejecting  it. 

10.  When  a  council,  properly  convened  and  orderly  proceeding, 
whether  mutual  or  ex  parte,  has  pronounced  its  advice,  a  second  council, 
upon  the  substance  of  the  same  questions,  or  upon  the  advice  of  the  first, 
is  manifestly  improper.  If  both  parties  desire  further  light,  they  may 
agree  thereto.  But,  if  one  refuse,  an  ex  parte  council  is  in  that  case 
not  warranted,  and  is  manifestly  disorderly. 

11.  A  council  orderly  assembled  to  advise  concerning  the  acts  and 
administrations  of  a  church,  and  finding  that  such  church  deliberately 
receives  and  maintains  doctrines  which  subvert  the  foundations  of  the 
Christian  faith,  or  that  it  wilMly  tolerates  and  upholds  notorious  scan- 
dals, or  that  it  persistently  disregards  and  contemns  the  communion  of 
churches,  may,  after  fit  admonition,  advise  the  churches  to  withhold  from 
that  erring  church  all  acts  of  communion  till  it  shall  give  evidence  of 
reformation.    And  any  church,  after  due  admonition,  may  call  a  council 

12.  Some  Congregational  churches,  neighboring  to  each  other,  are  con- 
federated, more  or  less  strictly,  for  mutual  assistance  in  cases  which 
require  a  council     Such  confederations,  whether  under  the  name  of 


GOYEBNMENT  AND   FELLOWSHIP.  123 

consociation  or  convention,  may  be  nsefdl  if  they  duly  recognize  and 
guard  the  principle  that  the  x)ower  of  inflicting  church  censures  and  of 
absolving  from  censure,  and  the  power  of  choosing  and  ordaining  officers 
and  of  removing  them  from  office  for  good  cause,  reside  under  Christ, 
in  the  particular  church,  and  not  in  some  ecclesiastical  authority  extrin- 
sic to  the  church;  and  the  cognate  principle  that  councils,  however 
constituted,  are  for  the  communion  of  churches  with  each  other,  and  not 
for  government  over  the  churches. 

CHAPTER  m.  —  COMFERENCKS    OF    CHUB0HE8. 

1.  It  is  fit  and  convenient  for  the  churches  of  a  neighborhood  to  meet, 
sometimes,  by  their  pastors  and  delegates,  for  the  purpose  of  reporting 
to  each  other  their  spiritual  prosperity  and  progress,  and  of  consult- 
ing together  how  to  advance  ttie  cause  and  Hngdom  of  Christ.  Such 
meetings  are  commonly  called  conferences  of  churches,  and  are  distin- 
guished from  councils  in  that  they  have  nothing  to  do  with  giving  ad- 
vice to  any  particular  church  concerning  the  ordination  or  dismission  of 
any  of  its  officers,  or  concerning  the  administration  of  its  government. 
They  meet  only  for  mutual  information  and  inquiry,  that  through  them 
the  churches  may  provoke  each  other  to  love  and  good  works. 

2.  Conferences  of  churches  are  either  occasional  or  stated.  Any 
church  may  invite  the  neighboring  churches,  more  or  fewer,  at  its  own 
discretion,  to  meet  with  it  for  mutual  edification  and  inquiry.  Or  a  num- 
ber of  churches  may  associate  to  hold  such  conferences  at  fixed  periods 
and  under  definite  regulations.  Stated  conferences  of  the  churches  have 
been  greatly  useful  in  promoting  zeal  and  Christian  activity,  and  in 
making  the  gifts  of  one  church  subserve  the  edification  of  others. 

3.  In  some  States  the  several  conferences  are  associated  in  a  general 
conference  or  association  of  churches,  which  institutes  a  careful  inquiry 
every  year,  and  makes  its  report  concerning  the  general  prosperity  and 
progress  of  the  churches  throughout  the  State. 

CHilPTEB  XV.  —  8TNOD8,  OB  NATIONAL  COUNCILS. 

1.  Occasions  may  arise,  in  the  progress  of  Christ's  kingdom,  when  a 
representative  assembly  of  churches,  coming  together  for  consultation 
and  agreement,  and  for  testimony,  is  required ;  an  assembly  which  shall 
be  larger  in  its  numbers  than  any  council,  such  as  a  single  church  cau 
convene  for  its  own  need,  and  larger  in  its  constituency  than  any  stated 
conference  of  churches.  Such  synods  were  required,  and  were  held  at 
sundry  times,  when  the  fathers  of  the  American  Congregational  churches 
were  laying  the  foundations  on  which  many  generations  were  to  build. 

2.  A  synod  can  not  be  constituted  by  any  number  of  unauthorized  indi- 
viduals assuming  to  represent  the  churches.  The  express  consent  of  the 
churches,  acting  severally,  in  their' self-government  under  Christ,  recog- 
nizing the  call,  and  sending  forth  their  elders  and  other  messengers,  is 
what  constitutes  the  synod  as  a  representative  body.  An  assembly  thus 
constituted  by  the  joint  action  of  many  churches,  and  coming  together 


124  GOVERNMENT  AND  FELLOWSHIP. 

not  for  strife  and  contention,  but  for  devout  and  earnest  consultation 
concerning  things  that  pertain  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  may  be  expected 
to  have  much  of  those  gracious  influences  and  of  that  guidance  by  the 
Holy  Comforter,  in  which  Christ  fulfills  his  promises:  "Lo,  I  am  with 
you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world;"  and,  "Where  two  or 
three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 
them." 

3.  The  calling  of  such  a  synod  ought  not  to  proceed  from  the  mere  will 
or  motion  of  unauthorized  individuals,  nor  from  the  mere  motion  of  any 
one  church  acting  without  consultation.  When  the  elders  and  other 
messengers  of  any  considerable  body  of  churches,  coming  together  in  a 
representative  assembly,  such  as  the  general  conference  or  general  asso- 
ciation of  a  State,  are  convinced  that  an  occasion  has  arisen  which 
requires  a  national  synod  or  coimcil,  they  may  reasonably  institute 
inquiries  by  correspondence  with  other  similar  bodies;  and  if,  after  such 
correspondence  and  conference  as  may  conveniently  be  had,  the  convic- 
tion is  strengthened  and  extended,  that,  in  the  providence  of  God,  there 
is  a  call  upon  the  churches  to  confer  with  each  other  in  a  national  coun- 
cil, the  arrangements  may  be  made,  and  the  invitation  issued  by  such 
persons  as  shall  have  been  designated  to  that  service,  by  common  consent 
in  the  preliminary  consultations.  The  invitation  should  be  addressed, 
not  to  associations  or  conferences  purporting  to  represent  the  churches, 
but  distinctly  to  each  several  church,  so  that  the  ultimate  determination 
of  the  question  shall  proceed  directly  from  the  churches  themselves;  and 
every  church  shall  have  the  opportunity  of  consenting  or  withholding 
its  consent,  according  to  the  wisdom  given  to  it  from  above. 

4.  The  proper  function  of  a  synod  is  not  to  legislate  for  the  churches, 
nor  to  determine  imperatively  any  question  which  is  not  already  deter- 
mined by  the  Scriptures,  but  by  inquiry  and  brotherly  conference,  with 
prayer  for  divine  illumination,  to  obtain  and  hold  forth  light  on  such 
matters  as  the  churches  have  referred  to  its  deliberations.  A  synod,  as 
a  great  cloud  of  witnesses,  may  properly  testify  in  behalf  of  the  constit- 
uent churches  not  only  their  common  faith  in  Christ  their  Saviour,  but 
what  is  the  system  of  Christian  doctrine,  and  what  the  system  and  theory 
of  ecclesiastical  administrations,  which  are  the  basis  of  their  special  com- 
munion one  with  another,  as  churches  walking  in  the  order  of  the  New 
Testament. 

CHAPTER  y.  —  COlfFESSIONS  OF  FAITH. 

1.  Neither  Christ  nor  his  apostles  prescribed  any  form  of  words  to 
be  imposed  on  disciples,  or  on  churches,  for  the  confessing  of  their  faith. 
Had  such  a  form  been  given,  it  would  have  become  a  part  of  the  canon- 
ical Scriptures. 

2.  Every  church  is  to  judge  for  itself  whether  the  form  of  words 
offered  or  adopted  as  a  confession  of  faith  by  any  who  desire  admission 
to  its  holy  communion,  is  a  satisfactory  profession  of  faith  in  Christ  and 
his  gospel. 

3.  When  a  council  is  assembled  for  the  ordination  or  recognition  of  a 


aOYERNMENT   AND  FELLOWSHIP.  125 

pastor,  or  for  the  ordination  of  a  missionary  or  other  minister  at  large, 
the  candidate  for  ordination  or  recognition  may  reasonably  be  re- 
quired to  make  a  more  ample  declaration  of  his  religious  belief,  holding 
forth  to  the  church  and  the  council,  not  only  his  personal  faith  in  the 
Saviour  of  sinners,  but  also  his  doctrinal  soundness  as  a  preacher  of  the 
word.  Such  confession  of  faith  should  be  in  words  deliberately  and 
accurately  chosen,  and  the  council  must  judge  for  itself  whether  the  con- 
fession is  sound  and  sufficient. 

4.  Every  church  desiring  to  share  in  the  fellowship  of  the  churches 
should  ms^e  some  adequate  declaration  of  its  fidelity  to  the  doctrine 
which  is  according  to  godliness.  It  is  therefore  fit  that  every  church  set 
forth,  in  the  form  of  a  confession  or  catechism,  the  system  of  truth 
which  it  receives  as  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  which  its  far 
thers  and  teachers  maintain  by  their  ministry,  and  in  which  it  trains  its 
children. 

6.  Any  assembly  of  elders  or  messengers,  representing  a  body  of 
churches,  local  or  national,  is  competent  to  testify,  in  the  form  of  a  con- 
fession, what  system  of  doctrines  is  received  and  maintained  in  the 
churches  which  it  represents.  Or  any  body  of  Christian  men,  being 
called  thereto  in  the  providence  of  God,  may  frame  and  publish,  as  a 
confession  of  their  faith,  a  declaration  of  the  truths  which  they  receive 
as  revealed  from  Grod  by  his  word  and  Spirit  Such  confessions  of  faith 
have  often  been  useful  for  the  refutation  of  injurious  reproaches,  or  for 
the  confirmation  of  the  truth. 

6.  The  right  use  of  confessions  of  faith  is  not  for  separation  and  mu- 
tual exclusion  among  Christians,  but  rather  for  mutual  information  and 
confidence,  and  the  manif^tation  of  unity.  Eor  this  purpose,  inasmuch 
as  the  Scriptures  are  often  perverted,  and  doctrines  subversive  of  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints  are  brought  in  among  the  churches,  it 
sometimes  becomes  reasonable  and  fit  for  churches,  or  for  representative 
assemblies,  not  only  to  testify  and  confess,  but  also  to  bear  witness 
against  doctrines  contrary  to  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  dangerous  to  the 
souls  of  men.  For  Christian  unity  is  not  to  be  maintained  by  compro- 
mises with  doctrines  which  corrupt  the  word  of  God,  but  only  by  adhe- 
rence to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Yet  no  confession  of  faith  or  testimony 
against  error  is  to  be  set  up  in  place  of  the  Scriptures,  which  are  the  only 
standard  and  unerring  rule  of  faith,  and  with  which  all  human  formula- 
ries are  to  be  constantly  and  diligently  compared. 

PABT  IV.  — THE  MINISTRY. 

GBLAFTBB  I. — THS  PBEACHINO  OF  TIIX  WORD. 

1.  While  those  whom  the  church  chooses  and  ordains  to  be  its  pastors 
and  teachers  are,  by  virtue  of  their  office,  preachers  of  the  gospel,  labor- 
ing in  word  and  doctrine,  the  Congregational  churches  have  always 
acknowledged  that  the  work  of  preaching  is  not  exclusively  a  function  of 
church  officers.    Fit  men^  not  bearing  office  in  any  church,  but  giving 


126  GOVERNMENT   AND  FELLOWSHIP. 

themselves  to  the  work  of  preaching,  have  always  been  recognized 
among  us  as  ministers  of  the  word. 

2.  The  necessity  for  a  recognized  class  of  ministers,  not  holding  office 
in  any  church,  is  manifold.  (1.)  In  preaching  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture, there  is  much  to  be  done  which  can  not  be  done  by  elders  or  bishops 
of  churches,  whose  proper  work  is  parochial,  and  not  missionary.  (2.) 
There  is,  and  ever  must  be,  need  of  ministers,  recognized  as  such,  who 
can  supply,  by  occasional  and  temporary  ministration,  the  lack  of  service 
in  churches  that  have  no  preaching  elders.  (3.)  Those  who  are  to  teach 
and  train  men  for  the  ministry  must  needs  be  ministers,  recognized  as 
such  among  the  churches,  and  esteemed  for  their  zeal  and  power  in  hold- 
ing forth  the  word  of  life;  and  yet  they  can  not  ordinarily  be  at  the  same 
time  officers  in  the  churches.  (4.)  Under  every  theory  of  church  order, 
there  must  be,  in  fact,  a  class  of  men  accredited  in  some  way,  and  recog- 
nized as  qualified  by  natural  endowments,  by  learning  and  study,  and  by 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  their  souls,  to  preach  the  word;  among 
whom  the  churches  may  find  fit  men  to  be  their  pastors  and  teachers. 
(5.)  Nor  can  the  churches  consent  that  when  a  pastor,  for  any  good  rea- 
son, resigns  his  office,  and  is  discharged  with  commendation  as  a  good  and 
faithful  servant  of  Christ  in  the  gospel,  he  shall  thenceforth  cease  to  be 
reputed  and  recognized  as  a  minister  of  the  word.  (6.)  It  is  abundantly 
evident  from  the  Scriptures,  that,  in  the  beginning,  there  were  many 
ministers  of  the  word,  beside  the  elders  who  were  ordained  in  every 
church;  and  that  while  the  distinctive  work  of  the  apostles  was  essen- 
tially extraordinary,  ceasing  with  their  lives,  and  transmitted  to  no  suc- 
cessors, the  work  of  ministers,  not  holding  office  in  the  churches,  was  a 
work  which  continues,  and  must  continue,  till  Christ's  catholic  church  on 
earth  shall  cease  to  be  militant. 

3.  Such  ministers  of  the  gospel,  not  being  apostles,  nor  successors  of  the 
apostles,  are  invested  with  no  apostolic  authority;  and,  not  being  elders 
or  bishops,  thej  have  no  official  place  or  power  in  any  church  (except 
when  temporarily  invited  by  any  church) ;  but  each  one,  in  the  church 
with  which  he  is  in  covenant,  is  only  a  member  till  the  church  shall 
call  him  to  office  either  as  a  deacon  or  as  an  elder;  and  if  he  be 
called  to  office  as  an  elder,  laboring  in  word  and  doctrine,  then  the  com- 
munion of  the  churches  will  require  that  his  induction  into  office  shall  be 
approved  by  a  Council  before  he  can  b^  recognized  as  pastor  by  the 
neighbor  churches. 

4.  A  minister  who  is  not  a  member  of  some  Congregational  church  is 
not  in  fact,  and  ought  not  to  be,  counted  a  minister  in  connection  with 
the  churches  and  ministry  of  the  Congregational  order,  though  he  may  be 
worthy  of  confidence  and  fellowship  by  virtue  of  his  responsible  connec- 
tion with  some  other  body  of  evangelical  churches. 

CHAPTER  n.  — CALL  AMD  ORDINATION  TO  THE  MINISTRY. 

1.  As  it  was  in  the  church  at  Antioch  that  Barnabas  and  Saul  received 
their  special  call  to  the  missionary  work  among  the  Gentiles,  so,  by 
parity  of  reason,  the  call  of  any  brother  to  the  work  of  a  minister  at 


GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  127 

large  ought  always  to  proceed  from  some  church  cognizant  of  his  gifts 
and  graces,  and  therefore  competent  to  judge,  in  the  first  instance,  whether 
he  is  called  of  God;  nor  ordinarily  should  the  call  proceed  from  any 
other  church  than  that  in  which  he  is,  or  in  which  he  is  to  be  a  member. 

2.  As  Barnabas  and  Saul,  when  sent  from  the  church  at  Antioch  on  a 
mission  to  the  Grentiles,  were  separated  to  their  work  by  ordination;  so 
it'is  fit,  that,  after  reasonable  trial,  those  who  are  called  to  minister  in 
the  word  of  God  without  holding  the  office  of  elders  or  bishops  in  any 
church,  be  solemnly  conmiended  to  the  grace  of  God,  and,  by  the  laying- 
on  of  hands  and  prayer,  be  separated  to  the  work  whereunto  he  hath 
called  them.  No  church  ought  to  ordain  any  without  the  approval  of 
neighbor  churches  assembled  in  a  council.  Yet  it  should  be  remem- 
bered that  the  ordination  or  installation  is  the  act  of  the  church,  and  that 
the  duty  of  such  council  is  not  to  exercise  jurisdiction  or  authority  over 
the  church,  but  simply  to  advise  and  assist,  and  to  express  the  fellowship 
of  other  churches  in  the  transaction.  We  therefore  commend  the  ancient 
custom,  now  too  much  disused,  of  calling  on  the  church,  before  the  prayer 
of  consecration  and  the  giving  of  the  charge,  to  renew  their  choice  and 
call,  and  on  the  candidate  to  renew  his  acceptance  of  the  call,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  approving  council  and  the  witnessing  assembly.  Thus  the 
ordination  or  installation  will  proceed  by  the  authority  which  Christ  has 
given  to  that  church;  and  the  council,  as  representing  neighbor  churches,' 
will  give,  in  their  behalf,  the  right  hand  of  fellowship. 

3.  When  a  minister,  without  pastoral  charge,  is  accused  of  any  scandal  j . 
dishonorable  to  the  ministry  with  which  he  is  intrusted,  or  with  teaching  » 
that  which  is  contrary  to  the  gospel,  and  dangerous  to  the  souls  of  men, 
the  church  of  which  he  is  a  member  should  seek  the  assistance  of  an 
ecclesiastical  council  in  the  tWal  of  the  case,  and,  if  he  be  found  guilty, 
should  declare  him  to  be  deposed  from  the  ministry,  and  then  deal  with 
him  by  admonition  and  excommunication,  as  with  any  other  member. 

CHAPTKR  in.  —  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  MINISTERS. 

1.  The  experience  of  our  churches,  from  the  beginning,  has  proved 
that  the  frequent  consultation  of  ministers  with  each  other,  so  that  the 
watchmen  may  see  eye  to  eye,  is  of  great  importance  to  their  efficiency 
in  their  work;  and  the  formal  association  of  pastors,  not  excluding  other 
ministers,  for  mutual  counsel  and  helpfiilness,  is  an  arrangement  which 
has  been  greatly  blessed  of  God  for  the  welfare  of  the  churches  and  the 
advancement  of  religion. 

2.  An  association  of  ministers  has  no  jurisdiction  or  authority  over 
the  churches.  It  may  give  advice  to  its  own  members,  or  to  any  other 
persons  asking  its  advice,  on  questions  of  church  order  or  questions  of 
doctrine;  but  it  can  neither  inflict  nor  remove  any  church  censure.  It 
forms  its'  own  rules  concerning  the  qualifications  and  conditions  of  mem- 
bership, and  in  accordance  with  those  rules  it  can  admit  members  and 
exclude  them;  but  it  can  ordain  no  man  to  the  ministry,  nor  can  it  depose 
any  man  from  the  ministry.  If  one  of  its  members,  whether  a  pastor  or 
a  minister  without  pastoral  charge,  is  guilty  of  an  offense  for  which  he 


128  GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

should  be  deposed  from  the  ministry,  it  may  not  only  exclude  him  from 
its  fellowship,  but  may  bring  the  matter  to  the  notice  of  the  church  to 
which  he  is  responsible.  Or  if  any  minister  or  professed  minister  of 
scandalous  or  heretical  character  is  presuming  to  officiate  in  the  churches 
of  the  vicinity,  the  association  may  take  measures  to  bring  the  matter  to 
the  notice  of  the  proper  ecclesiastical  authority,  or,  if  necessary  to  the 
protection  of  the  churches  and  the  vindication  of  the  ministry,  may  give 
public  notice  that  he  is  not  in  their  fellowship. 

3.  By  the  common  consent  and  ancient  usage  of  our  churches,  the 
recognized  associations  of  pastors  and  other  ministers  are  intrusted  with 
the  duty  of  examining  those  who  are  to  preach  as  candidates  for  the 
ministry,  and  of  commending  them  to  the  churches  by  letters  of  appro- 
bation, so  that  untaught  or  otherwise  unfit  persons  may  not  intrude  them- 
selves into  the  work  of  preaching. 

4.  The  associations  of  Congregational  ministers,  throughout  the  United 
States,  have  their  own  methods  of  correspondence  with  each  other,  and 
of  mutual  recognition,  through  general  associations  in  the  several  states, 
or  otherwise. 

CHJIPTEB  IV,  —  CAITDIDATES  FOR  THE  MINI8TBT;    THEIR  EDUCATION,  ASD  THE 

TRIAL  OF  THEIR  GIFTS. 

1.  Inasmuch  as  the  work  of  ministering  in  the  word  of  Grod,  to  the 
edification  of  the  churches  and  to  the  advancement  of  religion,  requires 
not  only  natiu-al  gifts  of  intelligence  and  discretion,  and  of  utterance, 
but  also  a  personal  experience  of  the  gospel  as  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation,  a  hearty  love  to  Christ  and  to  the  souls  of  men,  and  a  com- 
pi*ehensive  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  of  the  system  of  truth 
which  they  reveal,  our  fathers,  at  the  beginriing,  made  great  endeiavors 
and  sacrifices  to  establish  colleges  consecrated  to  Christ  and  the  church, 
that  a  faithful  and  competently  learned  ministry  might  be  provided  for 
their  posterity,  and  for  the  country  which  they  were  redeeming  from  the 
wilderness.  Colleges  under  Christian  influence  and  control,  and  founded 
primarily  for  the  education  of  men  whom  the  churches  may  call  to  the 
ministry,  are  among  the  foremost  of  the  voluntary  institutions  which 
accompany  the  prosperity  of  churches  walking  in  the  faith  and  order  of 
the  gospel;  and  the  work  of  presiding  and  teaching  in  such  institutions  is 
a  work  in  which  consecrated  ministers  of  the  gospel  may  make  full  proof 
of  their  ministry,  and  may  obtain  a  place  among  those  who  have  turned 
many  to  righteousness. 

2.  In  later  times,  the  progress  of  society,  and  the  increase  and  wide 
difRision  of  knowledge,  having  changed  in  some  degree  the  course  of 
education  in  the  colleges,  so  that  other  and  special  studies  are  now  neces- 
sary to  a  full  preparation  for  the  ministry,  theological  seminaries  have 
been  founded,  that  those  who  offer  themselves  to  the  service  of  Christ,  in 
the  preaching  and  defense  of  his  gospel,  and  who  have  been  disciplined 
by  liberal  studies  and  enriched  with  general  knowledge,  may  be  instructed 
in  all  kinds  of  sacred  learning,  and,  under  the  guidance  of  teachers  who 
are  also  able  and  faithful  preachers  of  the  word,  and  experienced  in  the 


GOVERNMENT    AND    FELLOWSHIP.  129 

care  of  souls,  may,  by  Grod's  blessing  on  their  endeavors,  prepare  them- 
selves for  the  largest  useMness  in  the  churches  that  may  call  them  to 
office,  and  in  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel  to  every  creature. 

3.  The  credentials  which  a  young  man  may  receive  from  a  college  or 
a  theological  seminary  are  not  sufficient  for  his  introduction  to  the 
churches  as  a  preacher.  Still  less  may  his  own  desire  to  preach,  or  the 
desire  of  his  friends,  and  the  conmiendation  he  receives  from  them,  au- 
thorize him  to  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry,  or  make  it  safe 
for  qongregations  to  employ  him  for  the  trial  of  his  gifts.  Even  at  the 
beginning,  when  the  churches  were  few,  and  not  far  distant  from  each 
other,  it  was  soon  found  needful  to  institute  some  well-considered  ar- 
rangement for  the  examination  of  candidates,  and  their  orderly  intro- 
duction to  the  churches.  And  inasmuch  as  it  devolves  on  the  pastors 
and  teachers  of  churches  to  feed  the  several  flocks  of  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  made  them  overseers,  and  to  take  heed  whom  they  severally 
introduce  to  preach  the  word,  it  was  agreed  that  neighboring  pastors 
should  jointly  exercise  their  right  of  examination  and  inquiry,  before 
recognizing  or  commending  a  candidate  as  qualified  to  preach  in  public. 
It  is  therefore  a  long-established  usage  in  the  communion  of  our  churches, 
that  no  man  is  to  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry,  or  is  to  be 
received  as  such,  without  having  been  examined  and  approved  by  some 
recognized  association  of  pastors. 

4.  In  the  examination  of  a  candidate,  the  association,  having  received 
evidence  of  his  standing  as  a  member  in  full  conununion  of  some  evan- 
gelical church,  with  other  testimonials  to  his  blamelessness  of  life  and 
his  attainments  in  knowledge,  inquires  of  him  concerning  his  experience 
of  the  x>ower  of  godliness,  the  reasons  of  his  desire  and  choice  to  preach 
the  gospel,  the  studies  he  has  pursued,  his  knowledge  especially  of  the 
system  of  doctrines  contained  in  the  Scriptures,  and  his  readiness  Ia  the 
exposition  and  application  of  the  word  of  God;  and,  having  obtained 
satisfactory  evidence  of  his  fitness  to  preach  in  the  churches  for  the  trial 
of  his  gifts,  the  pastors  and  other  ministers  in  that  association  assembled 
certify  their  approbation  in  a  written  testimonial. 

5.  The  person  thus  accredited  is  not  yet  recognized  as  a  minister  of 
the  gospel,  but  is  only  a  candidate  for  the  ministry,  temporarily  com- 
mended to  the  churches,  that  they  may  make  trial  of  his  fitness  for 
that  sacred  work;  and  till  he  shall  be  duly  ordained  to  the  ministry,  the 
testimonial  given  to  him  may  be  withdrawn  whenever  that  association, 
for  any  good  reason,  is  no  longer  willing  to  be  responsible  for  him. 

The  remaining  portion  of  the  report  was  then  read  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  of  the  same  committee. 

EPITOME  OF  CHURCH  GOVERNMENT  AND  FELLOWSHIP. 

I.  —  GENERAL  FRINCIPLE8. 

I.  Ecclesiastical  polity,  or  church  government,  is  that  form  and  order 
which  is  to  be  observed  in  the  Church  of  Christ 

9 


130  GOVERNMENT    AND   PELL0W8HIP. 

II.  The  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  sufflcient,  exclusive,  and  obligatory 
rule  of  ecclesiastical  polity.  Church  powers,  therefore,  are  only  admin- 
istrative, not  legislative. 

III,  For  government,  there  is  no  one  visible,  universal  church;  nor 
are  there  national,  provincial,  diocesan  or  classical  churches;  but  only 
local  churches,  or  congregations  of  believers,  and  responsible  directly  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  one  Head  of  the  Church  universal,  and  of 
every  particular  church. 

lY.  Each  local  church  is  complete  in  itself,  and  has  all  powers  requi- 
site for  its  own  government  and  discipline.  But  all  churches,  being  in 
conmiunion  one  with  another,  have  such  mutual  duties  as  grow  out  of 
the  obligations  of  fellowship. 

II.  —  OP  A  CHUBOH. 

I.  Of  its  matter  and  form. 

1.  A  church  is  always  to  be  composed  of  such  as  are  judged  to  belong 
to  Christ,  and  of  none  others. 

2.  A  church  is  a  society  of  professed  believers,  united  by  a  covenant, 
express  or  implied,  whereby  all  its  members  agree  with  the  Lord  and 
with  each  other,  to  observe  all  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  especially. in 
united  worship,  and  in  mutual  watchMness  and  helpfulness. 

3.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  believers  in  Christ  to  unite  in  church  fellow- 
ship. 

4.  Believers  are  added  to  the  church  by  entering  into  covenant,  upon 
the  vote  of  the  brotherhood,  after  due  trial  of  their  repentance  from  sin, 
and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 

6.  Members  cease  to  be  such,  when  they  are  recommended  to,  and 
received  by  some  other  recognized  church;  to  which  dismission  and  com- 
mendation they  are  always  entitled,  imless  liable  to  some  just  censure. 

II.  Of  the  officers  of  a  church. 

1.  Though  officers  are  not  necessary  to  the  being  of  a  church,  they  are 
to  its  well-being. 

2.  The  officers  appointed  by  Christ's  institution  are  bishops  (or  pas- 
tors and  teachers)  and  deacons.  Other  persons,  appointed  for  special 
duties,  constitute  no  order  of  church  officers. 

3.  Church  officers  are  to  be  chosen  exclusively  by  the  church  to  whick 
they  are  to  minister;  and  they  may  be  dismissed,  for  cause,  by  the  same 
authority.  Yet,  in  the  choice  or  dismission  of  a  pastor,  neighboring 
churches  should  be  consulted,  —  both  for  advice,  and  for  the  sake  of  fel- 
lowship among  the  churches. 

4.  No  man  may  be  a  pastor  but  one  that  is  called  of  God  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry.  But  the  church  judges  of  his  fitness  by  due  trial  of  his 
faith,  grace,  and  abilities. 

6.  Church  officers  are  to  be  ordained,  or  solemnly  inducted  into  their 
several  offices;  and  the  ordination  of  a  pastor  involves  his  consecration 
to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 

6.  The  work  of  a  pastor  is  to  labor  in  word  and  doctrine;  and  to  rule, 
not  as  a  lord  over  Grod's  heritage,  but  with  the  consent  of  the  brethren. 


GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP.  131 

The  work  of  a  deacon  is  to  assist  the  pastor,  not  by  ruling  or  teaching. 
but  chiefly  by  "  serving  tables." 

7.  The  church  should  provide  proper  maintenance  for  the  pastor.  It 
is  right  also,  that  not  only  members  of  the  church,  but  all  who  are  taught 
in  the  word  contribute  to  his  support  When  incorporated  societies  as- 
sume the  maintenance  of  a  pastor  and  teacher,  it  is  also  right  that  they 
have  concurrent  voice  with  the  church  in  his  election- 
Ill.  Of  church  censures. 

1.  It  is  the  right  and  duty  of  every  church  to  preserve  its  purity  by 
the  prevention  and  removal  of  offenses,  and  the  recovery  of  offenders. 
This  duty  it  can  not  depute  to  others,  neither  can  others  rightly  assume  it. 

2.  In  the  treatment  of  offenses,  the  object  is  both  to  reclaim  offenders, 
and  to  preserve  the  purity  of  the  church  in  faith  and  practice. 

3.  Church  censures  are  of  two  sorts,  —  admonition  and  excommunica- 
tion. 

4.  If  one  brother  offend  another,  and  does  not  acknowledge  his  fault,  it 
is  the  duty  of  the  brother  aggrieved  to  follow  the  course  which  Christ 
has  prescribed  in  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  Matthew,  in  the  hope  of  win- 
ning his  brother.  If  the  grievance  come  before  the  church,  the  church 
should  endeavor  to  recover  the  offender;  and,  failing  that,  it  should 
admonish  him,  which  of  itself  suspends  him  from  church  conmiunion 
until  the  offense  be  removed. 

5.  If  an  offense  be  public  and  scandalous,  the  church  may  proceed 
without  such  gradual  steps,  to  try  the  offender,  and,  if  it  find  cause,  ad- 
monish or  excommunicate  him. 

6.  When  an  offending  brother  makes  penitent  confession  to  the  church, 
to  its  entire  satisfaction,  he  is  recovered  and  gained.  If  not  fhlly  satis- 
fied, the  church  should  admonish  him.  If,  in  any  case  of  admonition,  the 
offender  prove  obstinate,  he  is,  after  reasonable  delay,  to  be  exconmiuni- 
cated  by  vote  of  the  brotherhood. 

7.  While  one  lies  under  the  censure  of  excommunication,  he  is  not  to 
be  received  to  spiritual  communion  in  any  church.  But,  upon  repent- 
ance, he  may  be  absolved  of  the  censure  and  restored. 

8.  Inasmuch  as  the  first  object  is  to  reclaim  the  offender,  all  things 
should  be  done  in  a  spirit  of  gentleness  and  meekness.  In  the  trial  of 
one  who  is  accused,  all  proceedings  should  be  conducted  with  equity  and 
patience;  and,  in  the  decision,  unnecessary  harshness  is  not  less  to  be 
avoided  than  remissness.  ^ 

9.  If  a  brother  claims  to  be  aggrieved  by  any  censure  affecting  his 
communion  with  other  churches,  or  if  a  letter  of  dismission  and  recom- 
mendation is  unreasonably  refused,  he  may  ask  the  church  to  join  with 
him  in  requesting  advice  of  the  neighboring  churches;  and,  if  the  church 
refuse,  may  of  himself  request  the  churches  to  assemble  by  their  messen- 
geis  to  inquire  into  his  case,  and  to  give  him  advice. 

ni. — OF  THB   OOMXUHION   OF  THB  CHUBCHB8. 

L  Although  churches  are  distinct  and  equal,  yet  they  ought  to  pre- 
fierve  fellowship  one  with  another,  being  all  united  to  Christ  their  head. 


132  GOVERNMENT   AND   FELLOWSHIP. 

n.  When  a  company  of  believers  propose  to  unite  in  a  distinct  church, 
it  is  requisite  that  they  ask  the  advice  and  help  of  neighboring  churches; 
particularly  that  those  churches,  being  satisfied  with  their  faith  and 
order,  may  extend  to  them  the  hand  of  fellowship. 

III.  Communion  is  to  be  exercised  by  recognizing  each  other's  rights, 
by  due  regard  to  each  other's  welfare,  and  by  consultation  before  acts  of 
common  concern. 

IV.  Councils  are  the  ordinary  and  orderly  way  of  consultation  among 
churches,  and  are  proper  in  all  cases  where  the  commimion  of  the  churches 
is*  involved. 

1.  In  councils,  the  churches  meet  for  consultation,  usually  by  messen- 
gers (pastors  and  delegates)  chosen  for  the  special  occasion. 

2.  Councils  are  properly  called  of  churches  in  the  near  vicinity,  except 
when  matters  which  excite  strong  local  sympathies  render  the  advice  of 
distant  churches  necessary. 

3.  Councils  are  called  only  by  a  church,  or  an  unauthorized  party  in 
case  of  disagreement,  when  the  church  unreasonably  refuses  to  join;  that 
is,  by  a  church  desiring  light  or  help;  by  a  church  and  pastor  (or  other 
member  or  members)  in  case  of  difierences,  when  it  is  styled  a  mutual 
council;  or  by  either  of  these  parties  when  the  other  unreasonably 
refuses  to  unite,  when  it  is  styled  an  ex  parte  council;  which  ex  parte 
council,  when  properly  convened,  has  the  same  standing  as  if  it  had 
been  mutuaL 

4.  Councils  consist  solely  of  the  churches  invited  by  the  letters-missive, 
to  which  no  member  can  be  added,  and  from  which  none  can  be  removed. 

5.  Councils  are  convened  when  a  church  desires  recognition;  when  a 
church  asks  for  ad\ice  or  help;  when  differences  are  to  be  composed; 
when  men  whose  call  of  God  is  recognized  by  the  church  are  to  be  sepa- 
rated to  the  ministry;  when  pastors  are  to  be  inducted  into  ofllce  or 
removed;  when  a  brother  claims  to  be  aggrieved  by  church  censure; 
when  letters  of  dismission  are  unreasonably  refused;  when  a  church  or 
minister  is  liable  to  just  censure ;  and  when  matters  of  common  moment 
to  the  churches  are  to  be  considered. 

6.  The  decision  of  a  coimcil  is  only  advisory.  Yet,  when  orderly  given, 
it  is  to  be  received  as  the  voice  of  the  churches,  and  an  ordinance  of 
God  appointed  in  his  word,  with  reverence  and  submission,  unless  incon- 
sistent with  the  word  of  God.  But  councils  cannot  overrule  the  acts 
of  churches,  so  far  as  they  are  within  the  church,  nor  exercise  govern- 
ment over  them. 

7.  When  in  any  case  of  difference,  a  council  properly  convened, 
whether  mutual  or  ex  parte,  has  given  its  judgment,  neither  party  can 
demand  that  another  council  be  called,  whether  to  re-examine  the  sub- 
stance of  the  question  referred  to  the  first,  or  to  judge  of  its  advice. 
An  ex  parte  council  in  such  case  is  manifestly  disorderly,  and  without 
warrant 

V.  Fellowship  should  be  withdrawn  from  any  church  which  is  untrue 
to  sound  doctrine,  —  either  by  renouncing  the  faith  or  continuing  to  hear 
a  teacher  declared  by  council  to  be  heretical;  or  which  gives  public 


COMMITTEES.  133 

scandal  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  or  which  wilftilly  persists  in  acts  which 
break  fellowship.  When  one  church  finds  such  acts  in  another,  it  should 
admonish,  and,  if  that  fail,  invite  a  council  to  examine  the  alleged 
offense. 

VI.  Conferences  of  churches  are  allowable  and  profitable;  but  they 
hear  no  appeals,  give  no  advice,  and  decide  no  Question  of  church  or 
mlniBterial  standing. 

IV.  —  OF  THE  MIN1STBT. 

I.  The  ministry  includes  all  men  called  of  God  to  that  work,  and 
orderly  set  apart  by  ordination. 

II.  When  ordination  of  a  pastor  is  to  be  performed,  the.  church  in 
which  he  is  to  bear  office  in\ites  a  council  to  examine  as  to  faith,  grace, 
and  ability,  that,  if  he  be  approved,  they  may  extend  the  hand  of  fellow- 
ship. If  the  ordination  be  in  view  of  any  other  sphere  of  labor,  the 
request  for  a  council  ought  to  come  from  the  church  of  which  he  is  a 
member. 

IIL  A  pastor  dismissed  does  not  cease  to  be  a  minister;  but  he  can 
not  exercise  any  official  aci  6ver  a  church'until  ordeflyreplaced  in  office, 
except  when  particularly  invited  by  a  church. 

rV.  In  case  a  pastor  offend  in  such  a  way  that  he  should  no  longer 
be  recognized  as  a  minister,  the  church  should  request  a  council  to  ex- 
amine the  charges,  and,  if  it  find  cause,  to  withdraw  all  fellowship 
from  him,  so  that  his  ministerial  standing  shall  cease  to  be  recognized. 
If  a  minister  who  is  not  a  pastor  be  the  offender,  the  church  to  which 
he  belongs,  or  the  church  nearest  his  residence,  should  take  the  same 
course. 

V.  Associations  of  ministers  are  useful  for  mutual  sympathy  and  im- 
provement They  can  exercise  no  sort  of  authority  over  churches  or 
persons,  save  to  prescribe  the  rights  and  duties  of  their  own  member- 
ship. But  common  consent  has  recognized  that  their  examination  of 
candidates  for  introduction  to  the  churches  is  a  wise  safeguard. 

On  motion,  the  report  was  accepted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  of  Massachusetts,  from  the  committee 
on  Nominations,  reported  the  following  committees :  — 

Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Country,  —  Rev.  Truman  M.  Post,  d.  d., 
Missouri ;  Hon.  Seth  May,  Maine  ;  Hon.  James  D.  Bell,  Vermont ; 
Hon.  Milan  Harris,  New  Hampshire  ;  Hon.  A.  C.  Barstow,  Rhode 
Island  ;  Hon.  Dudley  R.  Wheeler,  Connecticut ;  Judge  Henry  Morris, 
Massachusetts  ;  Rev.  Oliver  E.  Daggett,  D.  d.,  New  York  ;  Rev.  John 
M.  Holmes,  New  Jersey  ;  Rev.  Edward  Hawes,  Pennsylvania  ;  Dea. 
Abner  H.  Bryant,  Delaware ;  Rev.  Edwin  Johnson,  Maryland ;  Rev. 
James  A.  Thome,  Ohio ;  Rev.  John  C.  Webster,  Illinois  ;  Dea.  Allen 


134  COMMITTEES. 

Fish,  Michigan  ;  Hon.  Edward  D.  Holton,  Wisconsin  ;  Eev.  Alden  B, 
Bobbins,  Iowa ;  Bev.  Charles  Seccombe,  Minnesota  ;  Hon.  Samuel  C. 
Pomeroy,  Kansas  ;  Rev.  Elisha  M.  Lewis,  Nebraska  Territory  ;  Luther 
P.  Fisher,  Esq.,  California  ;  Eev.-  Greo.  H.  Atkinson,  Oregon  ;  Rev. 
Wm.  Crawford,  Colorado. 

Committee  on  Declaration  of  Faith. — Rev.  John  O.  Fiske,  Maine  ; 
Prof.  Daniel  J.'Koyes,  D.  D.,  New  Hampshire  ;  Rev.  Nahum  Gale,  d.  d., 
Massachusetts  ;  Rev.  Joseph  Eldridge,  d.  d.,  Connecticut ;  Rev.  Leon- 
ard Swain,  D.  D.,  Rhode  Island  ;  Dr.  Albert  G.  Bristol,  Kew  York ; 
Rev.  John  C.  Hart,  Ohio  ;  Dea.  Sherman  S.  Barnard,  Michigan  ;  Rev. 
George  S.  F.  Savage,  Illinois. 

Committee  on  Communication  from  MaaaachiLsetta  Convention  of  Con- 
gregational Miniatera.  —  Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  Massachusetts  ;  Rev. 
William  T.  Eustis,  Connecticut ;  Asa  Freeman,  Esq.,  Kew  Hamp- 
shire. 

Committee  on  Platform  of  Church  Polity.  —  Rev.  John  P.  Gulliver, 
Connecticut ;  Prof.  Samuel  Harris,  Maine  ;  Rev.  Kelson  Bishop,  Ver- 
mont ;  Rev.  Edwards  A.  Park,  D.  D.,  Massachusetts  ;  Rev.  Josiah  G. 
Davis,  New  Hampshire  ;  Rev.  Joshua  Leavitt,  d.  d.,  New  York  ;  Profl 
Samuel  C.  Bartlett,  Illinois  ;  Rev.  Jesse  Guernsey,  Iowa  ;  Rev.  Charles 

C.  Salter,  Minnesota  ;  Judge  Lester  Taylor,  Ohio  ;  Rev.  James  S.  Hoyt, 

Michigan  ;  Rev.  James  D.  Liggett,  Kansas. 

I 

\ 

Committee  on  Besponse  to  Foreign  Delegations.  — Rev.  Leonard  Bacon, 

D.  D.,  Connecticut ;  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Kew  York  ;  Rev. 
3'ulian  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  d.,  Illinois  ;  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  d.  d.,  Mas- 
sachusetts ;  Hon.  James  B.  Walker,  Michigan. 

These  several  reports  were  accepted  and  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts,  in  behalf  of  the  churches 
of  Boston,  though  without  any  official  authorization,  invited  the 
members  of  the  Council,  so  far  as  convenient  to  them,  to  be  pres- 
ent in  the  church  meetings,  held  in  the  city  this  evening.  He 
also  stated  that  a  book  written  by  the  Rev^  Horatius  Bonar,  D.  D., 
called,  "  Words  to  the  Winners  of  Souls,"  had  been  reprinted 
by  the  American  Tract  Society,  and  that  a  copy  would  be  pre- 
sented to  every  member  of  the  Coimcil,  through  the  liberality 
of  distinguished  friends  of  the  church  and  the  ministry  who  had 
made  a  special  donation  for  that  purpose. 


I^f 


BVANGELIZATION   IN    THE  WEST   AND   SOUTH.  136 

EVANGELIZATION  IN  THE  WEST  AND  SOUTH. 

The  moderator  called  on  the  committee  upon  "  Evtogeliza- 
tion  in  the  West  and  South  "  for  their  report ;  and  it  was  read  . 
by  Warren  Currier,  Esq.,  ofMissouri  (the  rule  fixing  the  hour  l^^ 
of  adjournment  at  5  o'clockbeing  suspended,  on  motion  of 
Hon.  C.  G.  Hammond,  in  order  that  the  reading  might  be  com- 
pleted this  afternoon),  as  follows :  —  /    ^*' 

'       t 

The  subject  on  which  this  committee  is  required  to  report  presents  * 

itself  to  their  minds  under  two  distinct  aspects,  each  of  which  will  prop- 
erly and  almost  necessarily,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  engage  the  atten- 
tion of  the  National  Council. 

Foremost  meets  us  the  great  fact,  which  has  been  a  sublime  character- 
istic of  our  whole  history  as  a  people,  that  our  population  is  always  spread- 
ing itself  over  vast  regions  hitherto  unoccupied  by  civilized  man,  and  re- 
quiring the  unceasing  activity  of  all  Christian  people  to  accompany  the 
emigrant  to  the  wilderness,  with  Christian  instruction,  and  make  the  . 
institutions  and  influences  of  the  religion  of  Christ  coextensive  with  our 
physical  civilization. 

To  this  fact,  at  the  moment  when  we  are  called  together  to  consider 
the  greatest  crisis  in  our  nation^s  history,  is  added  another  of  a  still  more 
solemn  and  momentous  import:  that,  over  one  half  of  our  hitherto  peo- 
pled territory.  Christian  institutions,  though  once  existing  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree  of  purity  and  efficiency,  have  been  corrupted  by  slavery, 
and  well-nigh  obliterated  by  the  ravages  of  war  connected  with  the 
slaveholders'  rebellion. 

Kegions  of  country  larger  than  a  great  European  empire  are  thus  left 
in  moral  desolation,  imposing  on  the  Christian  people  of  our  nation  the 
imperative  and  most  urgent  duty  of  building  again,  in  these  waste 
places,  the  institutions  of  a  Christian  civilization. 
•  In  this  view  of  the  home  missionary  work  now  devolved  upon  us, 
there  is  nothing  denominational.  It  appeals  to  the  whole  American 
church,  and  to  every  American  Christian,  simply  as  such. 

But  there  is  another  aspect  of  the  subject,  which  is  not  without  its 
importance,  and  which  we  believe  the  National  Council  can  not  alto- 
gether disregard. 

We  are  as  sure  that  God  chose  and  called  the  early  fathers  of  New 
England  to  be  the  founders  of  this  nation,  as  we  are  that  he  chose  Abra- 
ham to  be  the  founder  of  his  ancient  people.  They  were  men  whom  he 
had  trained  and  qualified  for  the  work  to  which  they  were  appointed. 
And  it  ought  not  to  be  assumed,  without  proof,  that  the  peculiar  concep- 
tion of  the  church  which  they  brought  with  them  to  the  shores  of  New 
England,  and  which  was  the  seed  from  which  have  sprung  all'  the 
churches  represented  in  this  Council,  had  no  value  in  the  estimation  of 
the  Divine  Architect  of  our  national  edifice.  This  Council  is  bound  by 
the  most  solenm  obligations  rightly  to  estimate  the  value  of  that  unique 


9> 


136  BVAMGEUZATION   IN   THE   WEST   AND  SOUTH. 

conception,  and  to  recommend  to  the  chnrches  snch  a  system  of  home 
evangelization  as  shall  fully  recognize  its  importance  as  a  universal  and 
V       permanent  element  of  American  society. 

During  a  considerable  portion  of  our  history,  our  home  missionary 
arrangements  have  been  such  as  apparently  to  concede  that  the  Congre- 
gational idea  of  the  church  was  of  no  especial  value, — well  enough  in 
New  England,  where  it  was  already  established,  but,  west  of  the  Hud- 
son, for  the  most  part  inapplicable  and  impracticable.  If  that  view  was 
sound  and  just,  then  all  eflfort  to  plant  distinctively  Congregational 
churches  in  the  new  regions  of  our  country  is  worse  than  useless.  If 
Congregationalism  has  no  mission  except  to  add  one  to  the  number  of 
religious  sects,  which  divide  and  distract  the  household  of  faith,  then  far 
better  confine  itself  within  the  limits  of  New  England,  and  consign  at 
once  all  its  emigrant  population  to  the  care  of  those  centralized  church 
governments  which  always  stand  ready  to  receive  and  assimilate  them. 
But  if  the  Congregational  conception  of  the  church  is  true  and  pre- 
cious, —  if  it  is  as  well  fitted  to  all  latitudes  and  longitudes  as  to  Kew 
England,  and  is  really  an  important  element  of  American  civilization, 
and  of  the  brighter  and  better  ages  of  the  promised  fiiture,  —  then  these 
Congregational  churches  are  bound  to  be  true  to  their  fundamental 
principles.  In  this  system  of  home  evangelization,  they  are  bound  to  put 
forth  their  strength,  not  only  to  accompany  our  emigrant  population  with 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  but  to  plant  the  church,  after  the  conception  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers,  wherever  they  make  their  home  on  the  borders  of  the 
wilderness. 

We  trust  the  Council  will  have  in  view  both  these  aspects  of  the  case, 
in  all  the  advice  it  may  give  to  the  churches. 

In  order  to  present  a  survey  of  our  home  missionary  work  with  as 
much  clearness  as  possible,  we  shall  divide  it  into  four  parts. 

First,  Those  portions  of  the  West  and  North-west  in  which  numerous 
churches  have  been  already  planted  by  our  missionary  efibrts,  many  of 
which  are  still  dependent,  in  part,  on  missionary  fiinds  for  their  support. 
Second.  Certain  districts  of  the  same  States,  in  which  our  missionary 
efforts  have  hitherto  been  attended  with  little  success,  and  in  which  few 
churches  are  now  receiving  our  aid. 

Third.  The  new  States  and  Territories  of  the  West  and  North-west 
toward  which  the  tide  of  emigration  is  now  setting,  and  is  likely  to  flow 
in  the  immediate  future. 

Fourths  The  States  of  the  South  and  South-west  which  have  been  the 
principal  theater  of  the  great  rebellion. 

Of  the  first  of  these  divisions,  the  committee  have  little  to  say:  not  be- 
cause the  work  of  evangelization  in  that  section  of  our  field  is  complete, 
nor  because  what  remains  to  be  done  is  not  vastly  important,  but  only 
because  the  condition  of  other  sections  of  the  field  is  socntical,  and  their 
CJfilmsTdurgeht.  In  respect  to  these  more  favored  parts  of  our  home 
missionary  field,  it  should  not  be  forgotten,  that  there  yet  "  remaineth 
much  land  to  be  possessed."  The  prominent  centers  of  influence  are,  for 
the  most  part,  occupied.   The  towns  and  villages  along  the  thoroughfares 


^ 


BVANOEUZATION    IN   THE  WEST   AND   SOUTH.  137 

of  travel  and  traffic  are  generaDy  supplied  with  gospel  ministrations. 
But,  in  the  wide  intervals  between  the  railroads,  and  remote  from  the 
villages,  a  great  majority  of  the  population  is  beyond  the  influence  of  the 
churches  we  have  planted,  and  is  very  inadequately  supplied  with  relig- 
ious privileges.  Unless  this  rural  population  is  brought  more  directly 
under  gospel  influences,  and  their  children  and  youth  are  furnished  with 
better  opportunities  for  Christian  education,  we  have  great  reason  to  fear 
the  results  which  must  follow.  These  wide  fields,  neglected,  will  become 
moral  wastes,  whose  population  will  have  no  sympathy  with  the  senti- 
ments and  institutions  which  have  been  the  glory  of  our  land. 

To  meet  the  wants  of  this  part  of  our  field,  Sabbath-schools,  prayer- 
meetings,  family  visitation,  and  colportage  ought  to  be  sustained  by  the 
voluntary  efforts  of  the  self-denying  men  and  women  of  adjacent  churches. 
But,  in  addition  to  this  instrumentality,  we  need  a  class  of  missionaries 
who  go  forth,  not  to  seek  eligible  settlement  in  a  community  that  is  pre- 
pared to  welcome  and  support  them,  but  who,  in  the  spirit  of  Paul,  are 
willing  to  build  where  no  man  has  yet  laid  a  foundation. 

There  is  scarce  a  coimty,  even  in  the  most  favored  portion  of  the  / 
North-wQst,  that  does  not  contain  waste  places  which  would  repay  the  ' 
best  religious  culture  we  could  bestow  upon  them.  / 

The  second  division  embraces  large  portions  of  Southern  Illinois  and 
Indiana,  and  probably,  also,  important  districts  in  other  States,  with 
which  the  committee  are  less  accquainted. 

In  these  districts,  so  far  as  the  knowledge  of  the  committee  extends, 
our  home  missionary  efforts  in  the  past  have  been  crowned  with  little,! 
success^  and  at  present,  and  for  several  years  just  past,  we  are  scarcely  ' 
attempting  any  thing.    They  are  passed  by  as  fields  for  which,  at  pres- 
ent, little  or  nothing  can  be  done.    But  they  are  not  passed  by  because 
there  is  no  need  of  doing  any  thing  for  them. 

It  may  be  said  that  other  denominations  have  the  ground,  and  there- 
fore for  us,  as  Congregationalists,  there  is  no  room. 

If  other  denominations  do  have  the  ground,  they  occupy  it  most  ineffi- 
ciently and  unsatisfactorily.  The  people  are  not  taught  The  Sabbath 
is  not  made  a  day  of  religious  rest  and  instruction.  Ignorance,  both  of 
things  secular  and  divine,  widely  prevails.  In  all  these  respects,  a  state 
of  things  exists  which  can  not  extensively  prevail  in  our  country,  without 
disqualifying  us  to  continue  long  a  free  people.  The  truth  of  the  case 
is,  that  the  districts  in  question  are  not  in  such  a  sense  preoccupied  by 
other  denominations  as  to  relieve  us  from  the  obligation  of  iurther  effort, 
until,  by  a  fair  experiment,  it  is  proved  that  there  is  nothing  more  which 
we  can  do. 

If  our  home  missionary  effort  must  be  limited  to  the  organization  of 
churches  from  materials  found  ready  to  our  hands,  and  to  the  aiding  of 
churches  so  formed  till  they  become  self-sustaining,  then  it  is  difficult  to 
see  what  more  can  be  done  for  these  districts  than  we  are  now  doing. 
But  why  must  our  efforts  be  circimiscribed  to  such  limits?  Why  should 
we  wait  till  some  church  or  community  is  ready  to  invite  a  missionary 
to  labor  with  them,  and  to  assume  a  part  of  the  re8x>onsibility  of  his 


138  EVANGELIZATION   IN  THE  WEST  AND   SOUTH. 

support?  Why  Bhonld  we  rather  not  send  forth  into  such  districts  de- 
voted men,  with  their  support  fully  guaranteed,  to  labor  where  they 
can  find  a  field,  and  to  preach  Christ  where  they  can  find  hearers,  —  leav- 
ing it  to  their  judgment  to  bestow  their  labors  where  the  best  results  are 
to  be  expected,  and  to  organize  churches  where  there  is  promise  of  per- 
manence and  usefulness?  That  in  this  way  sinners  can  be  converted  to 
Christ,  and  churches  founded  and  multiplied,  which  will  prove  blessings 
to  generations  yet  unborn,  no  believer  in  the  adaptation  and  power  of 
the  gospel  is  at  liberty  to  doubt 

In  this  section  of  which  we  are  speaking,  there  are  certain  points  of 
great  and  growing  importance,  where  the  population  is  already  large 
'  and  is  rapidly  increasing;  but  religious  people  are  few,  and  religious 
privileges  scarce  and  meager.  At  such  points,  the  committee  believe, 
missionaries  should  at  once  be  stationed  and  sustained,  till  they  can 
gather  around  them  congregations  able  to  support  them.  Houses  of 
worship  should  also  be  provided  in  such  fields,  either  wholly  by  the  Con- 
gregational Union,  or  partly  by  them  and  partly  by  such  contributions 
as  liberal  men  on  the  spot  are  willing  to  make. 

Enterprises  thus  commenced  should  be  adequately  sustained  till  they 
can  stand  alone.  It  would  perhaps  be  invidious  and  unwise  to  name 
particular  places  which  should  be  thus  occupied.  But  the  committee  are 
of  the  opinion,  that  places  may  be  found  in  these  districts  where  enter- 
prises of  this  sort  have  already  been  delayed  years  too  long.  Until  such 
efibrts  have  been  made  and  have  failed,  it  is  the  judgment  of  the  com- 
mittee, that  the  conclusion  is  premature  that  nothing  can  be  done  for 
these  districts.  Till  such  attempts  are  made,  the  few  brethren  now  scat- 
tered over  these  regions,  and  struggling  almost  alone  against  prejudice 
and  abounding  wickedness,  will  net  cease  to  feel  and  to  lament  their  lack 
of  the  earnest  and  efficient  co-operation  of  the  churches  in  more  favored 
sections  of  the  country. 

Our  third  division  of  the  field  consists  of  those  new  States  and  Ter- 
ritories toward  which  the  tide  of  emigration  is  now  setting  in  great 
\  ^  ifcrce. 

r;^^      It  will  be  no  easy  matter  for  the  members  of  the  National  Council  to 
\      bring  their  minds  up  to  a  conception  of  the  vastness  and  urgent  impor- 
tance of  this  field  of  Christian  efibrt. 

North  of  the  south  line  of  Kansas,  extended  to  the  Pacific,  and  west  of 
the  Mississippi,  excluding  Missouri,  there  is  an  area  of  territory  belong- 
ing to  the  United  States  of  one  million  three  hundred  thousand  square 
miles.  Embraced  in  this  area  are  the  States  of  Iowa,  Minnesota,  Kan- 
sas, Oregon,  Nevada,  and  a  part  of  California,  and  the  Territories  of 
Nebraska,  Dacotah,  Colorado,  Utah,  Washington,  Idaho,  and  Montana. 
Within  these  limits  are  four  tenths  of  the  entire  territory  of  the  United 
States,  equal  to  twenty  times  the  area  of  New  England,  twenty-six  times 
that  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  times  that  of 
Massachusetts. 

In  1860,  the  above  States  and  Territories  had  a  population  of  one  mil- 
lion three  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-three, 


BVANOEUZATION   IN   THE    WEST   AND   80T7TH.  189 

which  now  undoubtedly  exceeds  two  millions.  Until  1859,  the  popu-> 
lation  was  confined  mostly  to  the  States  on  the  Mississippi  and  the 
Pacific,  and  those  parts  of  Kansas  and  Kebraska  contiguous  to  the  Mis- 
souri River.  The  whole  mountain  region,  aside  from  the  Mormon  set- 
tlements in  Utah,  was  uninhabited,  and,  to  a  great  extent,  unexplored. 
Since  that  time,  many  thousands  have  made  houses,  either  temporary 
or  permanent,  in  the  mountains,  and  four  new  Territories  have  been  or- 
ganized, since  1861,  along  the  mountain  ranges.  The  great  Platte  Val- 
ley, stretching  eastwardly  from  the  mountains  to  the  Missouri  Kiver,  a 
distance  of  five  or  six  hundred  miles,  has  become  an  immense  thorough- 
fare of  travel  and  transportation  to  the  mountain  Territories  and  Pacific 
States.  This  results,  in  a  great  measure,  from  the  discovery  of  the 
precious  metals  in  various  localities,  over  a  large  extent  of  country. 
This  first  caused  the  settlement  of  California,  and  is  now,  with  equal 
rapidity,  peopling  the  fastnesses  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Wherever 
gold  has  been  found,  cities  and  villages  are  springing  up  with  mar- 
velous rapidity.  There  is  no  longer  any  doubt  as  to  the  richness 
and  inexhaustibleness  of  the  gold  deposits  in  these  regions.  And  as 
gold  has  always  proved  a  mighty  motive  power,  we  may  infer,  with 
certainty,  that  with  increasing  facilities  for  reaching  the  mining  locali- 
ties, with  improved  machinery  for  obtaining  the  precious  metals,  and 
with  the  aid  of  the  surplus  capital  of  the  Eastern  States,  the  tide  of 
emigration  will  increase  in  volume  from  year  to  year.  The  vast  agricul- 
tural regions  of  Kansas,  Nebraska,  and  Iowa  will  find  a  remunerative 
market  for  their  productions  in  this  mining  region.  Thus  the  one  will 
help  the  other,  and  both  will  develop  together. 

Such  are  the  elements  of  growth  and  progress  which  this  wide  region 
contains  within  itself;  and  we  can  not  doubt  it  will  soon  be  occupied  with 
a  multitudinous  population.  The  foiindations  of  those  future  States  are 
now  being  laid ;  and  their  character  and  infiuence  will,  to  a  great  extent, 
be  determined  by  these  early  beginnings. 

Another  very  material  fact  in  its  bearings  on  the  growth  of  these  new 
States  and  Territories  is  the  construction  of  the  great  Union  Pacific 
Railroad.  Chartered  by  Congress,  and  liberally  endowed  by  the  gen- 
eral government,  this  road  is  to  connect  the  Missouri  River  with  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean,  and  carry  the  facilities  for  travel  and  commerce  through  all  the 
vast  interior.  This  work  is  actually  in  process  of  construction  at  both 
ends  of  the  line.  And  such  is  the  influence  of  railroads  in  developing 
the  resources  of  a  country,  in  stimulating  enterprises,  increasing  the 
value  of  property,  and  contributing  to  the  growth  of  towns  and  cities, 
that  we  doubt  not  the  completion  of  this  road  to  the  mining  region  will, 
in  a  brief  period,  quadruple  its  population,  while,  at  the  same  time,  it 
will  add  greatly  to  the  population  and  wealth  of  the  Missouri  and  Mis- 
sissippi Valleys. 

Emigration  to  the  mountains  tends  strongly  to  concentrate  in  cities, 
thus  affording  greater  facilities  for  preaching  the  gospel,  and  rendering 
delay  in  sending  it  more  perilous.  This  population  is  enterprising  and 
energetic,  and  ready  to  aid  liberally  in  the  supx>ort  of  the  gospel,  and  in 


140 


EVANGELIZATION  IN   THE   WEST   AND   SOUTH. 


e,>o:^^ 


building  houses  of  worship.  And  yet  they  are  exposed  to  many  and 
peculiar  temptations,  and,  without  the  influence  of  the  gospel,  they  are 
exceedingly  exposed  to  the  worst  vices  which  corrupt  society. 

Among  the  inhabitants  of  these  new  States  and  Territories  are  not  a 
few  members  of  Congregational  churches,  and  many  sons  and  daughters 
of  New  England,  who  love  her  simple  church  polity,  and  believe  it  better 
fitted  to  develop  and  elevate  man  than  any  other.  From  the  "  Congre- 
gational Quarterly"  of  January,  1865,  we  learn  that  these  numerous 
States  and  Territories,  with  their  two  millions  of  people,  had,  one  year 
ago,  twx)  hundred  and  seventy  Congregational  churches,  with  an  aggre- 
gate membership  of  a  little  more  than  ten  thousand.  They  had,  also, 
one  hundred  and  eighty-two  ministers,  either  supplying  these  churches, 
or  laboring  in  new  settlements,  where  churches  were  not  yet  organized. 
In  the  four  mountain  Territories  and  the  State  of  Nevada  we  have,  by 
report,  but  three  churches,  and  an  equal  number  of  ministers.  Yet 
the  population  to-day  probably  exceeds  two  hundred  thousand,  with 
the  certain  prospect  of  a  very  large  increase. 

It  seems  to  the  committee  that  this  portion  of  our  home  missionary 
field  ought  to  be  most  seriously  considered  by  all  the  churches  repre- 
sented in  this  Council.  Here  is  a  call  for  new  zeal  and  increased  efB- 
ciency  in  the  prosecution  of  the  home  missionary  work,  in  order  to  carry 
it  forward  upon  a  scale  commensurate  with  the  vastness  of  the  field  to 
be  cultivated. 

The  other  portion  of  the  home  missionary  field,  which  demands  our 
attention,  embraces  the  States  that  have  just  been  redeemed  from  sla- 
very, and  are  thus  opened  to  a  pure  gospel,  and  to  churches  founded  on 
the  principles  of  Congregational  freedom. 

In  the  survey  of  this  field,  the  first  feature  which  arrests  our  attention 
is  the  peculiar  condition  of  the  four  millions  of  people  now  emerging 
from  slavery  into  manhood  and  the  light  and  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God. 
Deprived  *hitherto  of  all  opportunities  for  education,  they  now  hunger 
and  thirst  after  learning.  Never  before  did  any  people  manifest  such 
eagerness  to  acquire  the  rudiments  of  education,  and  the  knowledge  of 
God's  word.  In  Virginia,  North  and  South  Carolina,  and  along  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi,  they  began,  early  in  the  war,  to  come  within 
our  lines,  and  were  immediately  provided  with  schools  and  teachers  by 
the  American  Missionary  Association.  In  the  progress  of  the  war,  this 
work  has  continually  grown  in  magnitude  and  importance,  imtil,  by  the 
overthrow  of  the  rebellion,  the  whole  colored  population  of  the  South 
are  soon  to  be  brought  within  the  reach  of  Chiistian  teachers  and  mis- 
sionaries. Never  was  a  missionary  field  more  inviting.  The  soil  is  rich 
and  mellow,  and  all  prepared  for  the  "good  seed  of  the  kingdom." 
Blessed  are  they  that  shall  so  cultivate  this  field  as  to  reap  the  rich  har- 
vest of  which  it  is  capable. 

How  far  the  way  is  open  for  home  missionary  labors  among  the  white 
people  of  the  South,  the  committee  is  unable  to  speak  with  much  defi- 
niteness,  for  the  want  of  accurate  information.  But  we  rejoice  to  know 
that  hostile  armies  no  longer  overrun  those  States.    The  rebellion  is 


BVANGELIZATION    IN   THE   WEST   AND   SOUTH.  141 

crushed,  and  the  way  is  prepared  for  a  thorough  and  accurate  survey 
of  the  moral  desolation  which  slavery  and  war  have  left  in  their  track. 
Let  such  survey  speedily  be  made,  and  the  result  laid  before  the 
churches.  In  the  mean  time,  the  following  facts,  reported  from  certain 
portions  of  the  field,  which  have  been  longer  under  Federal  control,  and 
therefore  better  known,  may  be  taken  as  specimens  of  the  whole. 

Missouri,  in  its  general  condition  and  history,  may  be  taken  as  repre- 
senting, in  the  main,  the  region  of  country  under  consideration,  and  is,  in 
position,  territory,  and  population,  no  inconsiderable  part  of  it.  In  1860, 
it  had  the  largest  white  population  of  any  of  the  slave  States,  and  is,  in 
territory,  larger  than  the  whole  of  New  England,  and  much  richer  in 
natural  resources.  But,  from  its  earliest  settlement,  slavery  has  been 
there,  paralyzing  its  energies,  depressing  its  industry,  corrupting  its 
politics,  perverting  its  theology,  and  poisoning  the  whole  surrounding 
atmosphere.  From  this  blighting  curse,  the  State  is  now  delivered,  by  a 
war  undertaken  in  the  interest  of  slavery,  and  having  for  its  oly'ect  its 
perpetuation  and  lasting  domination  over  a  continent 

While  emancipation  in  Missouri  is  a  consequence  of  the  wal:,  it  is  a 
consequence  wrought  out  through  conviction, —  a  radical  change  in  the 
opinions  and  feelings  of  the  people.  It  is  not  the  result  of  military  coer- 
cion operating  upon  the  elections.  It  rests  on  the  deliberate  choice  of 
the  people,  ascertained  through  the  ballot-box,  and  that,  too,  by  a  most 
decisive  and  significant  majority.  "An  ocean  of  changed  thought  and 
feeling  "  has  rolled  over  the  State  in  these  last  four  years.  And  what 
ha^  happened  in  Missouri  in  this  respect,  we  believe  will  be  found,  to  a 
considerable  extent,  to  be  true  in  the  other  slave  States. 

Missouri  came  into  the  Union  in  a  conviilsive  struggle  that  shook  the 
nation.  New  England  protested;  but  her  protest  was  unavailing,  and 
for  the  time  slavery  triumphed.  This  was  forty-five  years  ago.  On  the 
11th  day  of  January  last,  she  was  born  again,  amid  the  rejoicings  and 
congratulations  of  millions  of  freemen,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 

In  January,  1852,  there  was  not  a  Congregational  chufch  in  this  State. 
Nine  years  later,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  slaveholders'  rebellion,  there 
were  two.  and  the  only  two  in  the  slave  States,  —  one  at  St.  Louis,  and 
one  at  Hannibal,  both  situated  on  the  eastern  boundary  line  of  the  State, 
and  together  containing  scarcely  more  than  three  hundred  members.  At 
this  date  ten  are  reported,  and  the  door  is  wide  open  for  the  planting  of 
as  many  more  as  Christian  zeal  and  enterprise  may  elect.  Old  temples 
and  altars  have  been  thrown  down.  The  priests  of  slavery,  with  their 
followers,  are  scattered  and  gone,  or  are  fast  going.  The  society  of 
Missouri  is  no  longer  suited  to  their  tastes.  They  prefer  a  hiding-place 
an^-where  else  to  the  scene  of  their  former  pride,  where  all  is  now  so 
changed,  and  where  the  friends  of  the  Union  and  the  enemies  of  slavery 
are  in  the  popular  ascendant. 

What  has  been  said  indicates,  in  general,  the  state  of  things  in  Mis- 
souri. To  a  great  extent,  except  in  a  few  counties,  it  is,  in  respect  to 
religious  organizations,  a  mighty  waste.  We  give  an  example  or  two, 
by  way  of  illustration:  Jefierson  City,  the  capital  of  the  State,  is  situ- 


142  BVANGEMZATION   IN  THE   WEST    AND    SOUTH. 

at€d  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Missouri  River,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  miles  west  of  St.  Louis,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  railway.  It 
has  a  population  of  about  four  thousand.  In  1861,  it  had  four  churches, 
representing  as  many  different  denominations,  viz.,  Presbyterian  (O.  S.), 
Baptist,  Episcopal,  and  Methodist  (South).  All  these  churches  are  now, 
or  were  as  late  as  March  last,  closed.  Xo  services  have  been  held  in  the 
Presbyterian  church  for  four  years,  and  only  occasionally,  if  at  all,  in  the 
three  others,  during  the  same  period.  A  Methodist  church  (North)  has, 
in  the  mean  time,  been  organized,  and  a  small  house  of  worship  erected, 
of  dimensions  to  accommodate,  perhaps,  a  hundred  and  fifty  persons. 
This  IS  the  only  Protestant  house  of  worship  now  in  use  in  the  capital 
of  the  State  of  Missouri,  although  it  has  been  constantly  within  the  Fed- 
eral lines,  and  in  daily  connection  with  St.  Louis. 

If  such  a  state  of  things  exist  in  the  protected  capital,  it  is  not  to  be 
imagined  that  religious  institutions  are  in  a  more  satisfactory  condition 
where  bushwhackers  and  guerillas  have  roamed  at  large.  , 

In  a  growing  town  of  some  two  thousand  inhabitants,  on  the  Pacific 
Railroad,  west  of  Jefferson  City,  no  church  organization  or  house  of  wor- 
ship exists.  An  agent  of  the  American  Missionary  Association  visited 
it  last  summer,  and  was  much  encouraged  by  the  friendly  temper  of  the 
people,  and  their  readiness  to  hear.  His  chief  difficulty,  during  his  short 
stay,  was  to  find  a  room  large  enough  to  accommodate  those  who  wished 
to  attend  upon  his  services. 

It  is  believed  that  these  are  only  specimens,  tending  to  give  a  true  idea 
of  the  condition  of  a  large  part  of  the  State.  And,  as  far  as  the  commit- 
tee can  judge  from  the  information  in  their  possession,  they  believe  a 
very  similar  state  of  things  exists  in  all  the  States,  which,  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  rebellion,  were  under  the  controlling  influence  of  slavery.  Reli- 
gious organizations  existing  previous  to  the  rebellion  are  overturned. 
The  church,  in  its  various  denominations,  was  as  thoroughly  pervaded 
and  corrupted  by  slavery  as  the  State,  and  as  completely  involved  in  the 
rebellion,  and  consequently  has  been  equally  dissolved  and  destroyed  by 
the  overthrow  of  slavery  and  the  rebellion.  And,  if  the  work  of  political 
reconstruction  is  to  tax  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  nation  to  the  utmost, 
the  reconstruction  of  religious  society  in  the  South  is  a  work  no  less  dif- 
ficult and  momentous.  If  the  restoration  of  government  in  the  South 
on  the  basis  of  universal  freedom  is  the  trial  question  of  our  political  in- 
stitutions, the  restoration  of  religious  society  on  the  basis  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ  is  no  less  the  trial  question  of  our  Protestant  Christianity. 

No  graver  question  at  present  demands  the  attention  of  the  churches 
which  we  represent,  than  the  inquiry,  "  What  part  in  this  mighty  work 
belongs  to  those  men  and  those  churches  which  adhere  to  that  conception 
of  the  church  which  found  its  way  to  this  continent  in  the  cabin  of  the 
May-flower?  "  The  committee  certainly  is  not  prepared  ftilly  to  answer 
this  question.  But  to  say,  that,  in  all  this,  Congregationalism  is  to  have 
no  share,  seems  to  us  like  saying  that  the  principles  of  that  polity  are 
not  worthy  of  what  our  Pilgrim  Fathers  suffered  for  them,  nor  of  the  . 
tenacity  with  which  we  hold  them.    If  we  have  a  conception  of  the 


EVANGELIZATION   IN   THE   WEST    AND   SOUTH.  143 

s 

church  which  must  be  laid  aside  before  we  can  enter  upon  the  greatest 
Christian  enterprise  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  sooner  we  discard  it 
everywhere  the  better,  that  we  may  take  up  some  other  polity,  which  is 
capable  of  universal  application. 

In  reconstructing  religious  society  at  the  South,  it  seems  to  the  com- 
mittee as  most  obviously  important,  to  adopt  a  policy  analogous  to  that 
pursued  in  military  affairs.  There  are  many  cities  and  large  towns 
which  are  as  truly  strategic  points  in  our  moral  as  in  our  carnal  warfare. 
Ko  time  should  be  lost  in  taking  possession  of  them  in  the  name  of  our 
Great  Captain,  and  in  erecting  in  them  fortresses  of  evangelical  truth, 
furnished  with  all  the  mimitions  of  spiritual  warfare.  Persons  who,  in 
connection  with  the  army,  have  had  opportunity  to  study  the  South, 
testify  on  this  point  with  great  unanimity  and  earnestness. 

Commencing  at  Cairo,  Illinois,  every  considerabfe  town  on  the  Missis- 
sippi and  its  tributaries,  quite  down  to  the  Gulf,  should  receive  early  and 
earnest  attention. 

At  Memphis,  an  organization  has  already  been  effected,  under  favor- 
able auspices,  and  a  self-sustaining  church  established. 

In  New  Orleans,  a  handful  of  men,  noble  and  true,  are  already  soli- 
citing our  co-operation.  Congregational  polity  was  once  at  home  in 
Charleston,  and  in  Savannah,  and  other  parts  of  Georgia.  la  it  not  our 
duty  to  make  haste  to  rebuild  what  slavery  has  corrupted  and  destroyed? 

In  Wilmington,  Norfolk,  Richmond,  Baltimore,  and  Washington,  and 
doubtless  in  many  less  prominent  cities  of  the  Atlantic  States  of  the 
South,  we  may  soon  expect  openings  for  the  introduction  of  a  pure  gos- 
pel, and  the  establishment  of  permanent  religious  institutions,  by  our 
instrumentalities,  for  home  evangelization.  In  the  prosecution  of  this 
great  work,  why  should  we  not  imitate  the  example  of  the  apostolic  age? 
The  apostles  of  Christ  were  appointed  to  plant  the  Christian  church,  not 
for  the  Homan  Empire,  but  for  the  world;  not  for  one  age,  but  for  all 
time.  They  began,  indeed,  at  Jerusalem;  but,  as  soon  as  they  began  to 
go  abroad  from  that  center,  they  hastened  to  the  centers  of  that  influence 
which  controlled  the  world,  —  the  cities  that  lay  around  the  Mediter- 
ranean Sea.  In  them  they  preached  the  gospel,  and  planted  churches; 
and  from  Ephesus  and  PMlippi  and  Thessalonica  and  Corinth  and  Home, 
the  gospel  spread  into  the  surrounding  populations. 

The  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  is  the  Mediterranean  region  of  this  con- 
tinent; and  in  the  great  centers  of  influence  in  this  valley  our  work  must 
begin.  These  strategic  points  must  be  speedily  garrisoned  for  Christ; 
and  it  must  be  done  by  hands  that  are  clear  of  all  participation  in  the 
great  rebellion. 

To  no  portion  of  the  Christian  people  of  the  United  States  does  the 
call  to  engage  in  this  great  religious  enterprise  come  more  imperatively 
than  to  the  churches  represented  in  this  Coimcil.  In  this  connection, 
the  committee  deem  it  proper  to  call  attention  to  the  following  passage, 
from  "  Bancroft's  History  of  the  United  States,"  volume  i.,  pp.  467-^. 
"  I  have  dwelt  the  longer  on  the  character  of  the  early  Puf  itans  of  New 
England,"  says  the  historian,  ^^for  they  are  the  parents  of  one  third  of 


144  BVANGEUZATION   IN   THE   WEST   AND   SOUTH. 

the  white  population  of  the  United  States.  In  the  first  ten  or  twelve 
years, — and  there  was  never  afterward  any  considerable  increase  from 
England,  —  we  have  seen  that  there  came  over  twenty-one  thousand  two 
hundred  persons,  or  four  thousand  families.  Their  descendants  are  now 
(1834)  not  far  from  four  millions.  Each  family  has  multiplied,  on  the 
average,  to  one  thousand  souls.  To  New  York  and  Ohio,  where  they 
constitute  one  half  of  the  population,  they  have  carried  the  Puritan  sys- 
tem of  free  schools;  and  their  example  is  spreading  it  through  the  civilized 
world." 

If  this  calculation  be  brought  down  to  the  present  time,  it  will  be  found 
that  the  descendants  of  the  early  Puritans  of  New  England  now  number 
about  ten  millions,  and  that  they  have  not  only  carried  the  Puritan  sys- 
tem of  free  schools  to  New  York  and  Ohio,  but  that  they  have  carried 
these,  and  all  the  ideas  and  institutions  of  a  society  founded  on  the  doc- 
trine of  the  equal  rights  of  man,  beyond  the  Great  Lakes,  beyond  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  the  Missouri,  to  the  banks  of  the  Columbia,  and  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific.  It  is  patent  to  every  observant  eye,  that  that  great  current 
of  opinion  which  made  the  lamented  Lincoln  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  overturned  the  iniquitous  system  of  slavery,  and  with  it  the 
whole  structure  of  Southern  society,  followed  every  where  along  the 
ramifications  of  this  stream  of  New  England  emigration.  It  is  no  won- 
der that  the  rebels  and  their  Northern  allies  proposed  to  leave  New 
England  out  in  the  cold.  New  England  ideas  were  found  utterly  in- 
compatible with  the  continued  existence  of  slavery. 

What,  then,  so  fit  as  that,  in  reconstructing  society  at  the  South  on  the 
basis  of  freedom  and  Christianity,  large  room  should  be  given  to  the 
spirit,  the  principles,  and  the  modes  of  organization,  of  these  Puritan 
Fathers.  It  is  not  the  business  of  the  committee  to  urge  this  matter. 
But  we  religiously  believe  and  honestly  affirm,  that,  if  our  Puritan  Fa- 
thers had  brought  to  New  England  a  centralized  church  government,  they 
never  could  have  exerted  their  mighty  and  benignant  influence  on  the 
destinies  of  their  country  and  the  world.  And  we  can  assign  no  reason 
why  their  ideas  are  not  just  as  precious  and  just  as  potent  in  restoring 
society  at  the  South  as  they  were  in  constructing  it  in  New  England. 
Bible  principles  never  grow  old,  and  their  value  and  their  adaptation 
undergo  no  change. 

The  committee  cannot  refrain  from  expressing  their  full  conviction, 
that,  in  this  work  of  religious  reconstruction,  an  indispensable  condition 
of  success  is  our  hearty  recognition  of  our  equal  brotherhood  with  the 
colored  man,  and  our  earnest  endeavor  to  raise  him  to  the  ftill  enjoyment 
of  all  the  privileges  of  the  gospel.  God  has  overturned  society  in  the 
South  for  the  crime  of  trampling  on  the  rights  of  the  negro,  and  let  no 
one  think  to  restore  it  without  fully  recognizing  his  equal  rights  with  the 
white  man  to  citizenship,  both  under  our  government  and  in  the  kingdom 
of  God.  • 

He  t^rho  is  no  respecter  of  persons  will  surely  frown  on  all  such 
attempts,  however  cunningly  conceived  and  zealously  prosecuted. 

Such  then  is  the  vast  work  to  which  the  providences  of  God  call  the 


EVANGELIZATION    IN   THE   WEST   AND   SOUTk*  145 

churches  and  people  represented  in  this  conncU.  And  what  shall  we 
say  of  the  machinery  needed  to  accomplish  it?  On  this  point  we  have 
but  little  to  suggest.  We  see  no  necessity  for  any  new  organization. 
The  American  Home  Missionary  Society  and  the  American  Missionary 
Association,  those  noble  institutions  through  which  we  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  act  in  the  work  of  home  evangelization,  seem,  in  the  good  prov- 
idence of  God,  to  be  raised  up  especially  for  this  very  time.  They  have  a 
prestige,  an  experience,  and  an  adaptation,  that  commend  them  to  uni- 
versal confidence.  .     /j 

The  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  formerly  the  organ  of  another  I  P  ■ 
denomination  as  well  as  of  our  own,  has,  without  its  own  seeking  or  ours, 
been  released  from  any  obligation  which  would  have  restrained  its  action 
in  promoting  the  church  polity  of  our  Puritan  Fathers.  In  the  progress 
of  events,  the  way  seems  now  prepared  for  the  universal  acceptance  of 
the  anti-slavery  principles  which  the  American  Missionary  Association 
has  always  maintained.  Both  societies  have  therefore  an  open  field,  and 
both  enjoy  largely  the  confidence  and  sympathy  of  the  churches. 

Nor  do  we  find  any  diflSculty  in  recognizing  the  respective  spheres  of 
these  two  societies.  For  while  no  separation  is  or  can  be  made  by  a 
geographical  line,  and  still  less  by  any  invidious  distinction  of  color,  we 
yet  discover,  in  the  past  labors  of  the  American  Missionary  Association, 
among  the  colored  people  of  America,  the  West  India  Islands,  and 
Africa,  and  in  the  ready  facility  with  which  it  has  adapted  itself  to  the 
peculiar  condition  of  this  people  at  the  South,  an  instrumentality  provi- 
dentially prepared  for  their  evangelization.  We  therefore  commend  to 
the  churches  this  association  for  the  work  at  the  South,  with  special  ref- 
erence to  the  frecdmen. 

The  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  on  the  contrary,  is  limited 
by  its  constitution  to  one  specific  work  of  aiding  destitute  commimities 
aud  ffeeble  churches  to  sustain  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  For  this  dis- 
tinctive work,  it  will  find  comparatively  littie  preparation  among  the 
freedmen;  but  its  glorious  history,  endearing  it  to  the  afiections  of  all 
the  churches,  points  it  out  still  as  the  chosen  instrumentality  for  its  spe- 
cific home  missionary  work  in  all  parts  of  our  country,  in  the  South,  as 
far  as  the  door  may  be  opened,  as  well  as  in  the  North  and  Great  West. 

With  these  limitations  of  special  adaptation  and  constitutional  provi- 
sion, each  organization  has  a  distinct  work;  and  the  field  is  so  large,  and 
the  relation  of  the  two  societies  so  friendly,  that  each  can  expend  its 
utmost  energies  without  rivalry  and  collision. 

In  this  connection,  we  recognize  the  important  mission  of  the  Congre- 
gational Union,  but  forbear  discussion  of  it  here,  since  its  claims  are  to 
be  submitted  outside  of  this  report. 

It  is  not,  then,  new  machinery  which  we  want,  but  to  give  greatiy  in- 
creased efficiency  to  the  machinery  which  we  have,  by  supplying  a  vastly 
greater  moving  power.  The  great  question  before  this  body  is,  how 
can  this  be  done?  It  is  perfectly  obvious  that  our  missionary  societies 
cannot  carry  out  the  policy  recommended  in  this  report,  without  a  large 
increase  of  their  resources.    They  will  need  a  yearly  income  of  not  less 

10 


146  BVANGEIIZATION   IN   THE  WEST   AND  SOUTH. 

than  half  a  million  of  dollars.  Our  resources  for  church  building,  and 
all  the  other  auxiliary  instrumentalities,  will  need  also  to  be  proportion- 
ably  increased. 

How  can  such  an  increase  be  obtained?  That  is  the  question  of  this 
occasion.  One  thing  the  committee  will  suggest  in  answer  to  this  in- 
quiry. "We  must  determine,  in  good  solemn  earnest,  to  do  the  work  where- 
unto  God  has  called  us.  No  man  who  has  borne  a  part  in  the  work  of 
evangelization  in  any  of  our  new  States  and  Territories  within  the  last 
ten  or  fifteen  years  can  have  failed  to  see,  and  with  sickness  of  heart  to 
feel,  that  the  American  churches,  after  all,  are  not  half  in  earaest  in  this 
work.  In  times  of  prevailing  worldly  prosperity,  men  of  the  noblest 
endowments  of  mind  and  heart,  who  have  given  themselves  to  this  sa- 
cred cause  in  the  true  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  have  found  themselves  left, 
like  soldiers  in  the  field,  without  arms,  without  ammunition,  and  without 
rations.  If  this  state  of  things  is  to  continue,  the  hope  of  accomplishing 
the  glorious  work  which  now  invites  our  efforts  will  prove  utterly  falla- 
cious and  delusive.  The  spirit  of  Christian  self-sacrifice  must  not  be 
confined  to  a  few  missionaries,  teachers,  and  colporters,  while  the  thou- 
sands of  our  Israel  dwell  in  their  ceiled  houses,  and  suffer  the  house  of 
God  to  lie  waste.  If  we  enter  on  this  enterprise  with  some  such  all-per- 
vading earnestness  as  that  with  which  we  undertook  the  work  of  subdu- 
ing the  great  rebellion,  there  wi\l  be  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  need- 
ftd  resources.  It  will  be  as  it  'has  been  in  the  war.  When  men  are 
needed,  they  can  be  had;  and,  when  money  is  wanted,  it  will  be  poured 
out  like  water. 

In  closing  this  report,  the  committee  present  the  following  summary 
of  the  results  to  which  they  have  come. 

1.  In  addition  to  the  work  to  which  our  Home  Missionary  Societies 
have,  for  the  most  part,  confined  their  labors,  —  that  of  planting  and  fos- 
tering churches  where  materials  arb  found  ready  to  their  hand  for  form- 
ing them,  —  there  is  an  imperative  necessity  that  able  and  devoted  men 
should  be  sent  to  labor  for  Cl^rist  where  no  churches  exist  and  no  mate- 
rials are  ready  for  their  formation.  At  whatever  cost  of  men  and  money, 
the  great  centers  of  influence  should  at  once  be  occupied  by  men  divinely 
endowed  for  such  a  work;  and  their  support  should  be  drawn  from  mis- 
sionary funds,  till  their  congregations  are  able  to  sustain  them. 

2.  That  the  time  for  efficient  action  is  emphatically  the  present  In 
the  West  and  North- West,  our  emigration  is  spreading  itself  over  a  field 
vaster  than  ever  before;  and  immediate  and  most  efficient  action  is  neces- 
sary to  overtake  and  keep  pace  with  this  ever-swelling  tide  of  popu- 
lation, in  founding  the  institutions  of  Christianity,  learning,  and  freedom. 
In  all  the  late  domain  of  slavery,  society  is  dissolved,  ecclesiastical  organ- 
izations are  broken  up  or  paralyzed.  By  their  sanction  of  human  chattel- 
ism,  and  their  complicity  with  the  rebellion,  the  churches  have  become  ut- 
terly demoralized,  and  are  like  salt  that  has  lost  its  savor.  Church  edifices 
and  school-houses  are  abandoned,  and  in  wide  districts  the  institu- 
tions of  education  and  religion  have  no  practical  existence.  In  all  these 
regions,  now  or  never  is  the  time  to  arise,  and  build  the  temple  of  the 


EVANGELIZATION    IN  THE   WEST    AND   SOUTH.  147 

Lord.  If  we  neglect  to  occupy  this  inviting  field  of  labor  to  which  God 
now  calls  us,  he  may,  we  trust  he  will,  raise  up  others  who  will  cultivate 
and  possess  it  for  him.  But,  for  us,  it  will  be  an  opportunity  for  ever 
lost,  a  harvest  season  never  to  return.  ^ 

3.  "We  can  not  perform  our  part  in  this  work  without  a  vast  increase  in 
earnestness,  zeal,  and  self-denial  in  our  churches.  Without  this,  it  will . 
be  impossible  to  command  either  the  men  or  the  money  for  the  work. 
The  resources  and  the  strong  young  men  of  any  community  will  always 
be  where  its  heart  is.  If  the  heart  of  the  church  is  in  the  world,  her 
sons  and  her  wealth  will  be  there  also;  and  she  will  be  as  powerless  in 
promoting  the  cause  of  Christ,  at  home  or  abroad,  as  Samson  was  to 
meet  the  Philistines  when  his  locks  were  shorn. 

Three  questions  the  committee  must  leave  unanswered,  pressing,  we 
trust,  on  the  hearts  of  the  National  Council. 

1.  How  can  the  requisite  spirit  of  earnestness  and  self-consecration  be 
imparted  to  the  churches? 

2.  How  can  our  young  men  be  induced,  by  thousands,  to  consecrate 
their  lives  to  this  holy  cause? 

3.  How  can  we  raise  the  requisite  pecuniary  resources  for  a  religious// 
enterprise  so  vast,  and  so  imperatively  demanding  immediate  action?       I 

The  American  church  is  in  much  the  same  relation  to  this  great  crisis 
that  our  government  was  to  the  rebellion  at  its  outbreak.  From  whence 
will  the  Lord  send  deliverance? 

/^jf'    Wakren  Currier, 
1   «'  Julian  M.  Sturtevant, 

>^        Reuben  Gaylord,  )-  Committee, 

"^     Thomas  E.  Bliss, 
r  1  ^  Tlavel  Bascom, 

At  twenty  minutes  before  five  o'clock,  the  reading  of  the 
report  was  suspended,  to  afford  Rev.  Mr.  Walker  an  opportu- 
nity to  speak  on  the  subject  of  the  churches  in  Italy,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  recommendation  of  the  Business  Committee  ; 
but  that  gentleman  not  being  present  (through  a  misunder- 
standing as  to  the  assignment),  the  reading  of  the  report  was 
resumed,  and  at  its  conclusion,  it  was  accepted. 

The  Doxology,  "  Praise  Grod  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 
was  then  sung,  and  the  Council  adjourned. 

FOURTH  DAY,  SATURDAY,  JUNE  17. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order  at  9  o'clock,  by  the  moder- 
ator.   Prayer  was  offered  by  Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois. 

The  minutes  of  yesterday  were  read,  amended  in  some  few 
particulars,  and  then  approved. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr..  Bascom,  of  Illinois,  Rev.  Wm.  Craw- 
ford, of  Colorado,  was  added  to  the  committee  on  the  State  of 
the  Country. 


a 


148  THE   ROLL. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  ifrom  the  committee  on 
Business,  reported  the  order  for  to-day,  as  follows :  — 

That  after  the  report  of  the  committee  on  Credentials,  and  statements  by 
the  chairmen  of  other  committees,  and  by  the  scribe,  the  business  consist 
in  reading  the  papers  on  "Ministerial  Support,"  "Ministerial  Educa- 
tion," "  Church  Building,"  "  Parochial  Evangelization,"  and  the  "  Sys- 
tematizing of  Benevolent  Contributions."  That  so  many  as  can  be  read 
this  morning  be  read,  and  the  remainder  be  made  the  order  for  Mon- 
day. 

The  committee  also  recommended  that  the  following  resolu- 
tions, which  had  been  placed  in  their  hands,  be  passed :  — 

Resolved^  That,  for  the  correction  and  certification  of  the  list  of  dele- 
gates to  this  Council,  the  roll  shall  be  called  by  the  scribe  after  reading 
the  minutes  on  Monday  morning,  and  members  who  do  not  answer  to 
their  names,  or  whose  presence  is  not  attested  by  delegates,  shall  be 
stricken  ft-om  the  lisL 

Besolved,  That,  in  making  up  the  roll  of  members  of  this  Council,  the 
committee  on  Credentials  be  requested  and  instructed  to  record  the 
churches  which  they  severally  represent,  and  the  residence  of  delegates, 
both  ministers  and  laymen. 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  on  Credentials  be  directed,  when  record- 
ing the  names  of  members,  to  insert  the  first  name  in  full. 

Rev.  Mr.  Perkins,  of  Massachusetts,  said,  in  reference  to  the  first 
resolution,  that  he  thought  some  other  time  than  Monday  morning, 
when  a  great  many  would  be  unable  to  be  present,  would  be  better  for 
calling  the  roll.    He  suggested  Tuesday  morning. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois,  suggested  Tuesday,  at  12  o'clock,  as 
the  time. 

The  amendment  was  accepted  by  Mr.  Perkins. 

Rev.  Mr.  Etjstis,  of  Connecticut,  said  it  was  desirable  to  have  the  list 
of  delegates  completed  as  soon  as  possible,  with  reference  to  the  proposed 
trip  to  Plymouth.  He  therefore  moved  to  amend  by  substituting  Mon- 
day, at  12  o'clock,  in  the  place  of  Tuesday. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut,  suggested  that  there  was  a  surer 
way  yet,  which  was  by  appointing  a  committee  of  one  from  each  State 
and  Territory,  who  should  report  a  full  roll  of  the  delegates  from  that 
State  or  Territory.  He  thought  there  were  delegates  present  from  New 
Jersey  and  Connecticut,  and  from  other  States,  who  could  tell  the  names 
of  all  the  members  from  those  States. 

Rev.  Mr.  Perkins  said  there  was  no  one  from  Massachusetts  who 
could  tell  the  names  of  all  the  delegates. 

Mr.  Ayres,  of  Illinois,  moved  to  amend  by  substituting  12  o'clock 
to-day  as  the  time  for  calling  the  roll. 

This  amendment  was  carried  by  a  vote  of  175  to  90, 


DEBATE   ON   ROLL.  149 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts,  said  that  one  of  the  reasons  given 
for  calling  the  roll,  was,  that  the  body  might  know  what  churches  were 
represented.  He  supposed  the  Council  were  not  to  determine  that  mat- 
ter. He  took  it  that  the  credentials  which  came  from  the  different  bodies 
settled  that. 

Rev.  E.  P.  Marvin,  of  Massachusetts,  said  he  believed  it  almost  im- 
possible to  make  out  an  accurate  list  of  delegates  from  the  credentials. 
The  committee  had  found  a  large  number  of  them  in  duplicate,  and,  in 
some  cases,  three  copies  of  the  same  credentials.  In  looking  over  two 
letters  of  the  alphabet,  he  found,  at  one  time,  twenty  duplicates.  Many 
of  those  names  were  yet  on  the  roll,  and  the  committee  wanted  very 
much  to  find  who  of  the  persons  whose  names  were  on  the  roll  were 
here,  and,  unless  they  could  resort  to  this  method,  they  should  be  obliged 
to  circulate  printed  slips  all  'through  the  house,  which  would  take  up  a 
great  deal  more  of  the  time  than  to  call  the  rolL 

It  was  moved  to  amend  the  resolution  by  adding,  that  the 
names  to  which  no  response  is  made  on  the  call  of  the  roll 
to-day  be  called  again  on  Monday,  at  12  o'clock. 

This  motion  prevailed,  by  a  vote  of  86  to  75  and  the  motion, 
as  amended,  passed. 

The  second  resolution  submitted  by  the  Business  Committee 
was  then  considered,  to  wit :  — 

Besolved,  That  in  making  up  the  roll  of  members  of  this  Council,  the 
committee  on  credentials  be  requested  and  instructed  to  record  the 
churches  which  they  represent,  and  the  residence  of  delegates,  both  min- 
isters and  laymen. 

Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  I  wish,  in  behalf  of  the  committee  on  cre- 
dentials, to  say,  that  that  committee  have  never  understood  themselves 
to  be  the  scribes  of  this  body.  All  our  business,  as  we  suppose,  is  to 
see  that  persons  who  present  proper  credentials  are  allowed  to  come 
in  as  members  of  the  body,  and  report  their  names;  and  then  our  duty 
is  ended,  it  being  the  duty  of  the  scribes  to  make  up  the  roll.  The  cre- 
dentials are  in  such  a  shape,  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  tell  what 
churches  are  represented.  We  have  credentials  from  Pennsylvania,  for 
instance,  certifying  that  so-and-so,  from  the  Congregational  churches  of 
Pennsylvania,  are  entitled  to  seats,  having  been  elected  by  conferences 
in  the  proper  towns.  In  that  State,  they  had  a  central  committee,  to 
which  the  conferences  reported,  and  that  cenk'al  committee  made  out  the 
credentials  for  all. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts.  In  regard  to  that  matter,  I 
differ  from  our  friend.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  very  important  that 
we  should  know,  from  our  record,  what  churches  are  represented  in 
this  body.  That  is  the  essential  point.  If  persons  coming  here  are  with- 
out any  credentials  certifying  how  many  churches  and  what  churches 
they  represent,  it  is,  to  begin  with,  evidence  that  they  are  not  enti- 


150  DEBATE   ON   ROLL. 

tied  to  seats;  and,  to  show  that  they  are  entitled  to  seats,  they  must 
bring  additional  facts,  because  the  call  is  very  explicit  But  allow- 
ing that  to  pass,  it  is  perfectly  practicable  to  get  this  list;  and  any 
committee  with  a  sufficient  degree  of  energy,  though  they  will  have  some 
work  to  do,  will  find  it  so.  In  the  next  place,  although  it  is  not  the  work, 
pri^nd  facie,  of  the  committee  on  credentials,  the  person  who  drew  the 
proposal  up  (for  it  did  not  originate  with  the  business  committee) 
thought  that,  inasmuch  as  they  had  had  the  papers,  and  understood  the 
matter  better  than  anybody  else,  it  would  be  better  to  instruct  them  to 
do  it.  If  that  committee  prefer  not  to  do  it,  it  is  perfectly  easy  to  ap- 
point another  committee  to  perform  that  work. 

Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  Massachusetts.  The  point  that  is  obscure  in  my 
mind  is  this.  Does  that  resolution  mean  that  I  shall  report  myself  as 
pastor  of  my  church,  and  representing  one  fourth  part  of  seventeen 
other  churches,  and  that  my  fellow-delegates  shall  report  that  they  rep- 
resent each  one  fourth  part  of  seventeen  churches?  or  what  does  it  mean? 
I  do  not  understand  it.  I  can  tell  you  the  church  of  which  I  am  pastor, 
and  I  can  tell  you  the  churches  which  are  represented  by  our  delegations; 
but  there  are  four  in  the  delegation. 

Rev.  Mr.  Whittlesey,  of  Illinois.  As  one  of  the  scribes,  I  want  to 
make  one  remark  in  reference  to  this  matter.  I  have  spent  two  days  of 
hard  labor  in  getting  this  roll  arranged  in  alphabetical  order,  under  the 
States;  now,  I  think,  from  my  experience,  that  it  will  take  at  least  three 
or  four  days  for  any  man,  or  any  committee  of  this  body,  to  do  the  work 
proposed  in  that  resolution,  and  I  do  not  think  there  is  anybody  here 
who  has  three  or  four  days  to  spend  on  it.  I  move  you,  therefore,  that 
that  resolution  be  laid  on  the  table. 

This  motion  prevailed,  and  the  resolution  was  laid  on  the 
table. 

The  third  resolution  submitted  by  the  Business  Committee 
was  then  taken  up  for  consideration,  to  wit :  — 

Be  solved,  That  the  committee  on  Credentials  be  directed,  when  record- 
ing the  names  of  members,  to  insert  the  first  name  in  full. 

Rev.  Mr.  Whittlesey,  of  Ilhnois.  I  have  taken  great  pains  to  get  the 
fhll  names,  so  far  as  it  is  possible;  but,  sir,  the  Council  will  see  that  it  is  a 
very  great  labor  to  get  the  full  names  of  more  than  six  hundred  mem- 
bers. Whenever  they  are  on  the  list  I  have  put  them  down,  and  I  have 
put  down  a  great  many  that  are  not  on  the  list.  I  appreciate  the  re- 
marks of  Mr..  Quint,  who,  you  all  know,  is  a  prince  in  statistics;  and  I 
should  be  very  glad  to  get  the  full  names  of  the  members,  if  I  could;  and 
if  anybody  whose  name  does  not  appear  upon  the  roll  in  full  will  give  it 
to  me,  I  will  insert  it,  but  I  will  not  engage  to  go  round  and  find  out 
the  name  of  every  man.  I  move  that  that  resolution  be  laid  on  the 
table. 

The  motion  prevailed,  and  the  report  of  the  Business  Com- 
mittee on  the  order  for  the  day  was  then  accepted. 


DEBATE   ON   ROLL.  151 

Bey.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts.  The  committee  to  whom  the 
duty  was  assigned  of  presenting  a  report  on  the  work  of  evangelization 
in  the  West  and  South,  and  in  Foreign  Lands,  having,  through  inadvert- 
ence, reported  only  on  the  home  department,  I  desire  to  offer  this  res- 
olution:— 

Besolvedy  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  report  upon  the  work  of 
evangelization  in  foreign  lands,  that  properly  devolves  upon  the  Congre- 
gational churches  of  the  United  States. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois,  the  motion  was 
adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  the  appointment 
of  a  committee  to  arrange  in  regard  to  the  supply  of  pulpits  in 
this  vicinity,  so  far  as  the  pastors  of  churches  desire  to  receive 
assistance  from  the  members  of  the  Council. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  moved  that  the  matter  be 
referred  to  the  committee  on  Devotional  Exercises. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter  accepted  this  suggestion,  and  the  motion,  in 
that  form,  passed. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  The  committee  on  Credentials  desire  to 
present  a  question  for  the  consideration  of  the  Council,  to  wit:  What 
shall  be  done  when  a  primary  has  taken  his  place  in  this  body,  been  en- 
rolled, and  taken  part  in  the  proceedings,  but  leaves  before  the  close  of 
the  session,  and  then  the  substitute  appears,  and  wishes  to  occupy  the 
seat  for  the  remainder  of  the  time?  Many  such  cases  exist,  and  are  to 
exist,  according  to  arrangements  that  are  being  made,  and  the  commit- 
tee on  credentials  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  resolution:  — 

Eesolved,  That  when  a  delegate  has  appeared,  and  taken  his  seat  in  the 
body,  but  leaves  before  the  close  of  the  session,  his  alternate  may  occupy 
his  place. 

Thus  much  I  report  as  chairman  of  the  committee.  In  my  individual 
capacity,  I  propose  to  offer  an  amendment,  —  to  add, "  provided,  that  the 
traveling  expenses  of  but  one  shall  be  paid  from  the  appropriate  fund." 

Bev.  Mr.  Taylor,  of  Ilhnois.  Is  it  designed,  that  the  names  of  both 
primary  and  substitute  shall  appear  upon  the  Uet? 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton.  That  question  has  not  been  considered.  I  am 
aware,  sir,  that  it  is  an  awkward  ai^rangement  at  best;  but  we  were  dis- 
posed to  favor  those  who  had  come  here  from  a  distance,  as  much  as  we' 
consistently  could. 

Rev.  Prof.  Bartlett,  of  Illinois.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  adoption 
of  this  resolution  would  involve  us  in  inextricable  confusion, — make  us 
a  constantly  fluctuating  body.  When  men  come  here  to  do  business, 
they  are  bound  to  do  it,  and  do  it  through,  and  not  commit  it  to  other 
parties.    I  move  the  resolution  be  laid  on  the  table. 


152  DEBATE   ON   ROLL. 

The  motion  prevailed,  and  the  resolution  was  laid  on  the 
table. 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois.  I  wish  to  move  the  appointment  of  a 
committee  to  accomplish  the  object  suggested  hy  the  chairman  of  the 
business  committee, — that  is,  to  obtain  the  names,  in  full,  of  the  churches 
represented.  I  have  approved  of  what  has  been  done,  in  laying  the  mo- 
tions, in  their  existing  form,  upon  the  table,  because  I  did  not  suppose 
it  was  the  duty,  either  of  the  committee  on  credentials,  or  of  the  scribes, 
to  accomplish  this  purpose;  and  yet  the  value  of  the  record  of  the  doings 
of  this  body,  as  an  historical  docimient  for  ftiture  ages,  will  be  very  greatly 
affected  by  the  consideration,  whether  we  have  the  names  of  the  churches 
represented,  and  the  names  of  the  members,  in  full,  or  not.  It  will  be  of 
less  value,  and  of  less  interest  all  over  the  Union,  if  the  names  are  not 
given  in  full,  and  also  the  churches  represented;  and  yet,  as  the  creden- 
tials were  handed  in,  it  was  impossible  for  the  committee  on  credentials 
to  do  it;  it  is  impossible,  with  these  credentials,  for  the  clerks  to  do  it 
If  it  is  done  at  all,  it  must  be  done  by  a  committee  from  each  State 
and  Territory.  I  move,  therefore,  that  a  committee  be  appointed,  from 
each  State  and  Territory  represented,  to  report,  in  full,  the  names  of  the 
pastors  and  delegates  of  such  States  and  Territories,  present  in  this 
Council,  and  also  the  names  of  the  associated  churches  which  they  re- 
spectively  represent 

Rev.  Mr.  Davis,  of  New  Hampshire.  The  names  of  churches  are 
much  more  important  than  the  names  of  members.  We  can  have  the 
names  of  the  churches,  with  a  little  care,  and  if  we  do  not,  we  have  no 
record  of  the  authority  by  which  we  act. 

The  question  was  then  put,  and  the  motion  of  Dr.  Beecher 
carried. 

Hon.  Mr.  Douglas,  of  Connecticut,  offered  the  following 
resolution :  — 

Besolved,  That  the  committee  on  Declaration  of  Faith,  with  the  aid  of 
the  committee  on  platform,  be  instructed  to  report  to  this  body,  for  its 
consideration  and  action,  a  catechism,  compiling,  in  the  most  simple 
form,  for  the  use  of  children,  the  faith  and  polity  of  the  Congregational 
churches. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut.  I  object  to  the  introduction  of 
the  resolution  in  this  form.  We  have  adopted  rules  which  were  drawn 
up  for  the  express  purpose  of  preventing  the  introduction  of  business  in 
this  way.  I  like  the  resolution,  and  like  Mr.  Douglas,  as  he  knows, 
very  much;  but  if  we  allow  these  things  to  be  brought  in  here  in  this 
way,  there  will  be  no  end  to  the  confbsion  in  which  we  shall  be  in- 
volved. 

The  Moderator.    It  was  read  for  information. 
'  Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut.    Yes,  but  if  everything  is  read 


COMMITTEES.  153 

for  information,  it  will  lead  to  conftision.  The  mle  is,  that  no  busi- 
ness shall  be  brought  np  here  until  it  has  been  before  the  business  com- 
mittee. 

Hon.  Mr.  Douglas,  of  Connecticut  I  know  of  no  other  way  to  get 
it  before  the  committee.  This  is  the  legitimate,  parliamentary  way,  in 
my  mind  to  get  it  to  the  committee.  I  move  its  reference  to  the  com- 
mittee. 

The  Modebator.  The  motion  is  not  in  order.  It  can  be  presented 
to  the  chairman  of  the  business  committee,  without  being  brought  before 
this  body,  and  it  may  be  considered  by  the  committee  whether  it  shall 
be  presented  or  not. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliveb,  of  Connecticut.  No,  sir;  the  committee  have  no 
discretion  in  the  matter.  They  are  obliged  to  present  the  resolution. 
They  simply  arrange  the  order  in  which  business  shall  be  presented. 
We  must  entirely  do  away  with  the  rule  before  this  can  be  done. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bishop,  of  Vermont.  If  that  is  really  the  rule,  that  the 
business  committee  ha&no  discretion,  then  I  move  that  it  be  amended. 

Assistant  Moderator  Hanmiond  read  the  rule,  as  follows :  — 

"  XY.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Business  Committee  to  prepare  a 
docket,  upon  which  shall  be  entered  all  items  of  business  which  members 
of  the  Council  may  desire  to  bring  before  the  body,  and  except  by 
special  vote  of  the  Council,  no  business  shall  be  introduced  which  has 
not  in  this  manner  passed  through  the  hands  of  the  committee." 

Rev.  Mr.  Bishop,  of  Vermont.  I  move  that  that  rule  be  so  amended, 
that  the  Business  Committee  present  only  what  they  deem  proper. 

A  delegate  inqidred  if  that  motion  was  in  order,  whether  it  ought  not 
to  go  to  the  Blisiness  Committee?  [Laughter.] 

The  chair  ruled  the  motion  out  of  order. 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone  of  Massachusetts,  from  ilie  committee  on  Hos- 
pitalities, annoimced  that  the  contemplated  excursion  to  Plym- 
outh would  take  place  on  Thursday  of  next  week. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut,  from  the  committee  to 
whom  was  referred  the  report  on  church  polity,  stated  that  the 
committee  had  held  two  meetings,  but  had  been  imable  to  pro- 
cure a  copy  of  the  report, — the  one  read  to  the  Council  having 
been  taken  by  the  scribe  and  pasted  into  the  minutes. 

After  some  discussion,  the  scribe  was  instructed,  on  motion 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  to*  deliver  the  report  to  the  committee. 

On  motion  of  Dea.  Stoddard,  of  Massachusetts,  it  was — 

Voted,  That  the  addresses  on  letters  to  the  members  be  read  here,  but 
that  they  shall  not  be  delivered  here,  but  in  the  room  below. 


164  MINISTERIAL   SUPPORT. 

MDTISTERIAL    SUPPORT. 

The  report  on  "  Ministerial  Support,"  was  then  called  for, 
and  it  was  read  by  Rev.  Prof.  George  Shepard,  of  Maine,  chair- 
man of  the  committee,  as  follows :  — 

The  committee  appointed  to  present  to  the  Council  the  topic  of  Minis- 
terial Support  hereby  report:  — 

We  fina  the  most  concise  and  comprehensive  axiom  on  this  subject,  — 
uttered  by  the  Lord  in  connection  with  the  sending  forth  of  the  seventy 
disciples,  —  "  The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire."  The  laborer  here  pro- 
nounced upon  is  the  servant  of  Christ,  the  minister  and  messenger  of  his 
gospel,  the  bearer  of  spiritual  blessings  to  the  lost  race  of  man. 

We  have  here  a  class  of  men  set  apart  to  a  service  deemed  of  vital 
importance  to  the  welfare  of  the  world,  —  a  class  extending  down  the 
centuries,  —  their  permanence  affirming  their  indispensableness.  They 
are  appointed  and  commissioned  of  God,  —  consecrated  to  a  single  and 
peculiar  service.  That  they  may  the  most  largely  compass  the  benetits 
of  this,  they  are  set  apart  from  the  ordinary  and  gainful  pursuits  of  life; 
all  their  capabilities  held  to  and  absorbed  in  a  ministry  of  beneficence,  not 
to  get  good,  but  confer  good. 

We  find  the  order  and  the  principle  in  the  opening  of  the  Mosaic  dis- 
pensation. First,  The  separation  and  consecration  of  the  sons  of  Levi : 
**  Behold,  I  have  taken  your  brethren,  the  Levites,  from  among  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel ;  to  you  they  are  given  as  a  gift  from  the  Lord."  Sec- 
ondly, The  obligation  on  the  part  of  the  people  to  them.  "  Wherefore 
forsake  not  the  Levite  as  long  as  thou  livest  upon  the  earth."  Under 
the  old  and  the  new  dispensation,  the  principle  of  service  and  support 
is  the  same,  a  principle  of  support  meant  to  conduce  to  the  highest  meas- 
ure  of  service,  and  service  the  most  effective  in  quality. 

The  principle  of  support  to  those  who  preach  the  gospel,  the  obligation  to 
support  those  who  consent  to  be  separated  to  this  service,  we  find  put  by 
the  apostle  Paul  in  a  peculiarly  terse  and  satisfactory  way, —  as  is  the  man- 
ner of  that  apostle  to  put  things,  —  in  a  sort  of  closing-up  fashion,  as 
though  the  brief  word  he  used,  held  within  itself  thie  finality  of  all  argu- 
ment He  says,  linking  his  conclusion  with  the  arrangement  divinely  made 
ages  before,  "  Even  so  hath  the  Lord  ordained,  that  they  which  preach  the 
gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel."  So  far  as  autJwrity  can  settle  this  prin- 
ciple, the  arranging  and  commanding  of  the  Supreme  Lord  settle  the  prin- 
ciple that  preachers  derive  their  living  from  the  people  whom  they  serve. 

There  are  good  reasons^  statements  which  come  to  the  people  with  the 
authority  of  reason,  why  what  the  Saviour  so  explicitly  enjoins  should 
be  done, — namely,  the  laborer  in  this  field  have  his  hire;  that  the 
preacher  of  this  gospel  be  furnished  a  living  in  it. 

The  first  is,  he  is  a  laborer;  what  he  does  is  labor.  An  apostle  pro- 
nounces it  a  good  work.  Every  undertaker  of  it,  who  with  a  soul  of  zeal 
aims  at  any  tolerable  fidelity  in  it,  is  satisfied  of  one  thing,  that  it  is 
work;  work  various,  multiform,  ever-crowding,  never  finished;  reaching 


MINISTERIAL   SUPPORT.  155 

to  the  inmost  sensibilities  of  life;  drawing  off  its  most  ethereal  quality, 
its  finest  capital.  No  man  could  bear  the  strain  and  intensity  of  this  toil, 
obly  as  he  felt  and  was  allowed  to  say,  it  is  a  good  work. 

2.  It  is  a  work  which,  to  get  ready  to  do,  fit,  qualified  to  do,  takes 
years  of  laborious  preparation,  and  expenditure  in  the  preliminary, 
exceeded  in  no  other  human  function,  equaled  by  a  very  few.  It  is  a 
work  which  can  not  be  worthily  done,  unless  done  by  a  class  prepared 
by  the  discipline  of  study  and  grace;  to  them  committed;  themselves 
consecrated  to  it,  and  made  responsible  for  it;  their  life's  work,  and  all 
the  work  of  life  they  are  allowed  to  do. 

3.  It  is  a  work  most  vital  in  its  bearing  upon  all  human  interests.  So- 
ciety could  hardly  subsist  without  it.  It  has  an  essentially  modifying 
influence  upon  all  branches  of  industry;  makes  even  the  fields  more  pro- 
lific, the  houses  more  tasteful  and  comfortable.  It  elevates  and  makes 
purer  the  whole  course  of  morals;  holds  in  check  the  wasteful  propensi- 
ties; inclines  toward  harmony  the  confiicting  passions;  advances  the 
character  in  all  worthy  attributes;  greatly  quickens  and  strengthens  the 
intellect;  lifts  the  heart  to  the  divine  and  heavenly;  nullifies  or  turns 
into  positive  benefit  the  most  formidable  powers  of  evil. 

It  is  admitted,  because  demonstrated^  that  the  work  of  the  minister 
adds  largely  to  a  people's  worldly  prosperity,  to  their  literal  enrichment; 
brings  a  gain  in  character,  in  happiness,  in  possession,  in  items  of  ben- 
efit innumerable,  beyond  the  count  of  gold. 

This  is  admitted,  confessed  to,  by  Christian  people,  that  the  support  of 
these  workers  is  a  just  due,  enjoined  by  the  Lord,  earned  by  hard,  ex- 
hausting, and  invaluable  service;  yet  their  hire  is  kept  back  in  part;  as 
a  general  thing  they  are  not  at  all  adequately  paid;  the  average  of  pay 
is  decidedly  below  a  proper  standard  of  compensation.  This  I  may 
safely  assume;  no  Christian  mind  will  question  it.  There  is  no  time  to 
array  facts  in  confirmation  of  this.  They  abound  —  are  every  where; 
they  are  humiliating  —  are  positively  disgraceful  to  our  Christianity. 

In  some  instances,  this  inadequate  support  arises  from  the  inability  of  the 
people  to  do  more.  These  discharge  themselves  from  blame  by  doing  what 
they  can, — all  that  they  can.  In  other  instances,  and  these  probably  the 
more  common,  the  inadequate  compensation  for  service  grows  out  of  a 
prevalent  low  estimate  of  the  value  of  the  service.  It  is  service  in  the  de- 
partment of  religion,  which,  as  many  conceive,  if  not  wholly  without  cost, 
is  proximately  so.  And  men  of  this  way  of  judging  justify  themselves  in 
crowding  all  estimates  in  the  direction  of  a  cipher.  The  very  economical 
argument  is,  —  the  Master  opened  by  giving  himself.  And  then  his  sal- 
vation is  put  without  price.  And  the  men  sent  to  dispense  it  are  supposed 
to  be  above  all  self-seeking;  bound  to  be  mortified  in  all  their  desires;  the 
whole  living  they  aspire  to  is  simply  a  partial  deliverance  from  starva- 
tion. There  is  here  furnished  to  the  people  a  promising  field  for  cheap- 
ening; and  the  minister's  work  is  sometimes  cheapened  with  a  vengeance. 
If  it  were  some  other  branch  of  service,  —  stood  in  some  likely  or  prolific 
connection  with  increase,  —  had  to  do  with  hoarding  money,  rather  than 
garnering  souls,  —  the  standard  of  compensation  and  expenditure  would 


156  MINISTERIAL  SUPPORT. 

be  set  higher  at  once ;  a  larger  price  proffered  and  paid,  because  greater 
value  is  assigned  to  the  service. 

All  the  causes  of  depressed  pay  we  can  not  run  over  or  even  hint. 
This  low  appreciation  of  the  things  of  God  may  be  clearly  set  down  as 
prominent  among  them.  That  there  is  ever  downright  fraud  —  the  hire 
of  these  laborers  kept  back  of  fraud  —  we  like  not  to  think;  we  recoil  from 
making  so  grave  a  chi^rge;  yet  the  eye  that  sees  through  all  may  see  even 
this.  We  choose  the  rather  to  assume  that  the  people  do  not  consider; 
and  that  they  will  do  better  when  they  perceive  the  obligation  in  its  true 
light,  —  will  be  disposed  to  do  what  is  equable  and  just,  when  they  see 
what  that  is. 

And  what  is  it?  What  is  the  just  measure  of  a  minister's  comi)ensa- 
tion  or  support? 

This  is  a  quantity  we  can  state  in  no  fixed  formula  of  figures.  It  is  a 
variable  quantity,  —  changes  with  times,  circumstances,  places.  It  is  not 
pay  for  his  work  as  men  in  other  callings  are  paid.  It  is  not,  of  course,  the 
highest  pay  his  measure  of  talent  is  capable  of  commanding, —  not  the 
most  liberal  pay  he  may  win,  by  consenting  to  be  the  tool  of  competing 
churches,  and  swayed  by  their  bids  on  his  coveted  gifts.  He  degrades 
the  office,  shows  himself  not  worthy  of  the  office,  if  he  consents  to  forsake 
a  place  where  God  has  put  him,  where  he  is  largely  useful,  where  gen- 
erous hearts  surround  him,  are  ready  to  give  him,  actually  do  give  him, 
all  he  needs,  and  attempts  the  perilous  grade  that  promises  to  take  him 
higher  in  the  scale  of  emolument  or  notability. 

We  can  fix  the  just  measure  of  a  minister's  support  only  by  the  state- 
ment of  a  principle.  It  is  that  measure  of  support  which  conduces  to 
the  highest  effectiveness  in  his  work.  That  is  an  average  quantity,  —  a 
medium  quantity.  The  fiush  of  gain,  the  excitement  of  rolling  up  prop- 
erty, can  only  be  damaging  to  him.  The  harassments  of  poverty  will 
necessarily  cramp  and  deaden  the  life  of  all  noble  endeavor.  What 
meets  the  case  is  an  easy  competence;  that  he  have  what  he  needs  to 
make  him  comfortable, —  to  set  him  free  from  corroding  anxiety, — to  give 
him  a  tone  of  assurance  favorable  to  vigorous  work;  a  sense  of  manly 
independence ;  a  deliverance  from  a  feeling  of  meanness,  —  from  a  sub- 
jected and  cringing  spirit,  as  one  afraid  to  affirm  and  press  obligation. 
We  strike  a  conception  of  the  quantity  as  that  which  puts  him  in  the 
best  condition  for  his  work.  On  the  one  hand,  it  is  that  which  does  not, 
by  largeness  of  emolument,  or  any  item  of  worldly  attraction,  draw,  by 
unworthy  motives,  aspirants  into  this  field ;  and  does  not,  on  the  other 
hand,  by  rigor  of  place,  or  imjust  severities  of  treatment,  repel  from  the 
office  those  who  ought  to  enter  it,  and  in  this  way  deplete  the  ranks  of 
competent  Christian  laborers. 

This,  then,  the  measure  of  support  in  the  place  or  office ;  that  it  is  a  po- 
sition in  which  those  who  enter  it  are  assisted,  enabled,  by  the  compensa- 
tion rendered,  to  live  on  a  scale  which  shall  be  a  f\ill  average,  if  not  a 
little  above  the  average,  of  the  community  they  serve;  a  position,  there- 
fore, in  which  they  can  assuredly  live,  and  be  largely  uselhL 

The  reasons,  in  addition  to  those  already  given,  for  furmshing  this 


MINISTERIAL   SUPPORT.  167 

measure  of  support,  press  on  interest,  c&nsdence,  senaihility.  They  so 
throng,  that  we  can  do  little  more  than  make  a  naked  statement  of  them. 
The  minister,  then,  should  be  thus  equably  supported:  — 

1.  That  he  may  he  enabled  to  give  himself  wholly  to  his  work.  This 
work  is  sufficient  to  tax  all  his  powers,  and  absorb  all  his  time.  Few 
men,  for  any  reason,  even  for  the  necessities  of  a  living,  can  go  outside 
of  it  without  detriment  Paul  did;  but  he  is  the  grand  exception  and 
anomaly  of  the  ages.  The  man  who  truly  desires  this  work,  so  desires 
it,  that  he  will  lay  down  all  other  work  for  this  alone,  —  will  choose  to 
make  this  his  sole  work;  and  the  savor  of  his  example,  and  the  measure 
of  his  usefulness,  will  turn  almost  entirely  upon  the  singleness  of  his 
consecration  to  it. 

2.  That  he  may  keep  himself  in  the  best  condition  for  his  work;  which 
means  that  he  be  not  tempted  to  over-work  by  a  necessity  laid  upon  him 
to  do  other  things;  which  also  means  that  he  be  able  to  command  the 
reasonable  means  of  recuperation,  by  diversion,  travel,  rest. 

3.  That  he  may  furnish  himself  with  the  indispensable  helps  to  his 
work;  that  it  be  put  in  his  power  to  purchase,  in  books  and  otherwise, 
the  materials  of  thought,  argument,  exposition;  whatever  will  feed  and 
replenish  his  own  mind,  bring  to  it  strength  and  opulence,  and  make  it 
a  storehouse  of  varied  and  exhaustless  supply  to  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple. If  the  people  but  understood  how  solid  and  good  books,  put 
into  the  hands  of  their  ministers,  find  their  terminus  in  themselves,  they 
would  load  his  arms  and  shelves  with  them,  or  give  him  the  means  to 
do  it. 

4.  That  he  may  he  respectable  and  appear  respectable.  In  house,  in 
furniture,  in  the  dress  and  culture  of  his  children,  he  must  come  up  to  a 
certain  standard,  or  he  drops  in  the  public  estimation  and  influence.  If 
his  bearing  is  mean,  his  words  will  be  despised. 

6.  That  he  may  he  honest.  To  a  just  measure,  he  must  be  paid,  that 
he  may  pay,  —  may  stand  in  that  pecuniary  supremacy  Paul  commends 
in  the  words,  "  Owe  no  man  anything."  The  minister  should  have  the 
power  of  standing  on  this  high  vantage-ground,  that  there  may  be  noth- 
ing between  him  and  the  hearts  and  the  consciences  of  his  people;  that 
he  may  enforce,  by  word  and  deed,  all  the  claims  of  integrity,  and  lead 
the  people  to  "  love  one  another." 

6.  That  he  may  be  liberal;  take  the  lead;  be  an  example  in  Christian 
giving.  One  of  his  hardest  functions,  everywhere,  will  be  to  train  his 
flock  worthily  to  the  grace  of  giving.  No  argument  or  eloquence  of 
speech  alone  will  do  it,  so  terribly  and  deeply  knotted  and  intrenched, 
even  in  Christian  hearts  often,  is  the  lust  of  getting  and  laying  up.  He 
must  lead  the  way,  like  that  old  hero  of  a  weaponless  fight,  Gideon;  he 
must  be  in  a  condition  to  say  to  the  people,  when  they  come  together  to 
deal  blows  against  this  master  lust,  so  loath  to  die, — with  Gideon,  let  him 
say,  "  Look  on  me  and  do  likewise."  'No  one  thing  is  so  important  to  a 
minister's  efficacy  in  this  respect,  as  that  he  be  in  a  condition  that  will 
enable  him  thus  to  be  an  example  of  giving  to  the  people. 

7.  That  he  may  have  some  prudent  forecast  and  providing  for  the  loved 


158  MINISTERIAL   SUPPORT. 

ones  he  will  be  called  to  leave.  Some  may  think  faith  will  dispense 
with  this;  yet  humanity  demands  this,  that  he  leave  something  for  the 
helpless  behind. 

8.  Thnt  the  favor  of  the  Master  may  he  conciliated  toward  his  churches. 
Just  and  liberal  in  their  treatment  of  the  servants  he  sends  to  them,  the 
like  the  style  and  measure  of  his  dispensation  to  them.  If  it  is  a  course 
of  withholding  on  the  part  of  any  of  the  churches ;  a  niggardly  policy, 
depressing  and  grinding  down  the  promulgers  of  this  free  and  most  gen- 
erous gospel,  making  them  compulsory  patterns  of  self-denial,  and  fleshly 
mortification;  then,  probably,  receive  they  in  the  like,  from  the  Divine 
Source.  It  proves  a  ministry  of  leanness  to  them,  on  the  pAiciple,  that 
their  reaping  is  according  to  their  sowing.  TVe  have  here,  doubtless,  the 
explanation  of  numberless  parched  and  arid  fields.  It  is  a  grand  law  of 
God's  treatment, — with  the  merciful  he  will  show  himself  merciful; 
with  the  froward  he  will  show  himself  froward. 

9.  There  is  another  reason  for  yielding  an  equable  support,  according 
as  we  have  defined  it;  namely,  if  it  he  not  done,  ministers  mill  not  6e  to  be 
supported.  It  is  possible  that  there  be  a  treatment  of  them  that  shall 
not  only  diminish,  but  threaten  to  run  the  class  out 

Christian  men,  appointed  to  do  God's  service,  will  stand  fbrth  ready  to 
bear,  cheerfully,  any  severity  of  lot  God  may  appoint  for  them.  But  the 
stint,  and  the  mean  withholding  of  men,  —  they  will  not  so  degrade 
themselves  as  to  put  up  with  that;  but  with  a  self-respecting  indepen- 
dence, will  they  be  tempted  to  say  to  these  men,  too  niggardly  to  pay 
in  support  of  God's  free  gospel  of  saving,  in  the  words  of  Paul,  "  Thy 
money  perish  with  thee."  Any  hardship  Qod  ordains  in  the  fulfillment 
of  his  commission,  let  the  servant  of  this  gospel  rejoice  and  glory  to  bear. 
Let  no  servant  shun  the  service  because  of  the  hardship.  Be  this  ever 
and  supremely  the  motive  which  draws  into  this  field  the  highest  and 
noblest  talent,  —  the  privilege  to  serve  Christ  in  the  ministry  of  his  gos- 
pel, though  in  the  want  of  all  things. 

When  the  naked  work  or  oflSce  ceases  to  have  the  power  to  draw  the 
men,  then  it  is  a  ftmction,  an  office,  which  can  no  longer  find  men;  the 
absence  of  them  being  proof  that  the  race  of  fit  men  no  longer  exists. 

The  above  constitute  what  one  rightly  calls  the  economic  reason  why 
the  church  should  worthily  support  its  ministry. 

There  is  another  and  higher,  we  have  previously  touched,  which  is  the 
moral  reason,  —  that  which  shows  it  to  be  eternally  right  that  the 
preacher  of  the  gospel  be  compensated  for  his  service.  It  is  the  reason 
the  Lord  gives,  "The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire;"  a  statement  of  prin- 
ciple which  makes  it  infinitely  just,  that  he  be  paid  for  the  value  of  ser- 
vices rendered,  —  services  which  are  literally  invaluable,  lying  beyond 
the  power  of  money  to  measure. 

TVe  come  to  another  department  of  the  topic,  namely. 

The  mode  of  payment.  This  is  of  importance,  as  well  as  the  measure. 
It  is  a  satisfaction  to  the  minister,  after  he  has  wrought  and  deserved 
and  earned,  to  receive  what  he  needs  in  equity,  as  a  matter  of  just  due. 
lie  knows,  and  the  people  also,  that  it  is  matter  of  just  debt.    He  feels  a 


MINISTERIAL   SUPPORT.  159 

more  manly  eentiment  when  it  comes  re^arly,  punctually,  cheerfully, 
as  what  is  due  him.  If  it  is  looked  upon,  in  any  sense,  as  charity;  if  his 
support  is  made,  by  contract,  inadequate,  through  avarice,  when  the  peo- 
ple are  abundantly  able  to  make  it  a  Bufficiency,  and  then  they  supple- 
ment, piece  out  the  stipend,  for  this  reason  deficient,  by  donations,  in 
visits  and  otherwise;  though  in  the  end  he  may  receive  as  much,  yet  the 
mode  is  somewhat  degrading  to  him,  —  degrading,  that  he  has  to  take  as 
a  gift  what  is  so  ascendantly  his  due.  If  the  people  choose  to  make  gifts 
to  their  ministers,  over  and  above  a  just  compensation  for  service,  it  is 
all  amiable,  —  honorable  to  both  parties.  If  they  put  to  him,  as  a  present, 
what  they  owe  to  him  as  a  debt,  it  is  not  honorable  to  either  of  the  par- 
ties. These  sunny-side  chapters,  found  weekly  in  our  religious  papers, 
if  established  as  the  people's  mode,  in  part,  of  paying  their  minister,  then 
brood  they  over  the  future  of  our  Zion  in  most  ominous  shape.  They 
are  admissible  only  as  setting  the  pastor  by  an  emergency,  which  comes 
by  a  temporary  rise  of  prices. 

We  lay  down  this  as  indispensable  in  the  arrangement  of  the  minister's 
support,  namely,  that  there  be  a  legally  constituted  corporate  body  respon- 
sible for  his  support.  Then,  if  individuals  fail,  this  body  stands  as  good, 
held  according  to  the  contract.  We  deprecate  the  practice  of  bringing 
a  minister,  at  the  beginning,  and  annually  ever  after,  to  the  test  of  a 
subscription  paper,  the  figures  of  which,  in  the  putting  down,  are  the 
votes  for  his  call  or  his  continuance.  The  failure  to  cancel  any  of  these 
subscriptions,  in  some  cases,  is  set  to  the  minister's  account,  —  made  de- 
tractions from  his  stipulated  pay. 

We  like  the  theory,  and  are  clear  in  commending  it  where  circum- 
stances favor,  —  the  theory  of  no  individual  property  in  the  house  of  God, 
All  contributions  to  build  it  are  gifts  to  the  church  for  this  purpose;  the 
house  held  by  the  church  for  God  and  his  worship;  and  the  minister's 
support  provided  for  by  the  rentals  of  the  place.  This  comes  as  near  to 
a  free  church  as  is  feasible  or  desirable.  It  is  desirable  and  important, 
as  a  means  of  spiritual  benefit  from  the  service,  that  all  responsible  mem- 
bers of  the  body  be  instructed,  encouraged,  and  expected  to  bear  some 
part,  help  in  some  form  of  payment  the  body  to  meet  the  expenses 
of  sustaining  the  worship  and  ordinances  of  God. 

It  is  a  principle  most  will  admit,  that  the  primal  obligation  to  support 
the  mini'ster  lies  with  the  church  he  serves,  in  such  form  as  they  may 
choose.  Each  church,  as  a  general  thing,  held  solely  responsible  for  its 
OAvn  minister.  While  this  is  valid  and  true,  it  is  also  true,  that  the  able 
churches  are  bound  to  help  support  the  weak,  —  the  ministers  of  the  weak 
churches.    Here  lies  the  argument  and  appeal  for  home  missions. 

Another  point,  which  may  not  be  passed  in  this  discussion,  is,  the  min- 
ister's function  and  responsibility  in  the  matter  of  his  own  support.  It 
being  a  contract  between  him  and  the  people,  of  course  there  is  a  side  for 
him  to  fulfilL 

The  main  consideration  here  is,  that  he  do  his  work  to  the  extent  of  his 
ability,  —  all  he  has  consecrated  to  the  service  of  God,  in  promoting  the 
highest  interests  of  his  people.  His  right  to  a  support,  as  a  minister^ 
depends  upon  the  fact  that  he  is  a  mimster  only. 


160  MINISTERIAL   SUPPORT. 

As  another  item  of  duty  resting  upon  him,  let  him  keep  young  andfresJij 
that  he  may  do  the  work  a  long  time;  keep  yoimg,by  continuing  to  grow, 
intellectually  as  well  as  spiritually,  even  up  to  length  of  years.  For 
every  man  has  a  claim  to  be  held  as  young  so  long  as  he  keeps  growing. 
Fresh  and  full  of  fire,  let  him  make  the  people  forget  that  he  is  an  old  man, 
even  when  he  is  beginning  to  be  one.  Let  the  people  also  bear  with  the  of- 
fense which  their  minister  can  not  wholly  avoid  taking  on,  namely,  some 
of  the  outer  signs  of  age.  There  is  a  wrong  done  to  some  of  the  best  and 
most  useful  men  of  the  pulpit,  by  a  judgment,  or  demand,  which  cuts 
short,  many  years,  their  term  of  service,  and  takes  away  their  breath, 
—  men  in  the  acme  of  their  strength  and  their  usefulness,  but  for  the  in- 
evitable signs  just  alluded  to.  Moses,  at  eighty,  said,  "  I  can  not  speak, 
for  I  am  a  child."  The  people  now  sometimes  reverse  his  plea  against 
speaking,  and  hurl  it  into  the  face  of  the  veteran:  you  can  not  speak  — 
not  fit  to  speak,  because  you  are  growing  old,  "  Milk  for  babes,"  says 
Paul,  in  substance.  The  people  say  now.  Babes  to  dispense  the  milk. 
There  is  coming  to  be  almost  an  insane  demand  for  young  ministers, — 
nearer  to  boys  the  better.  Still,  there  is  another,  and  a  conflicting  taste 
abroad,  which  demands  that  they  pause  a  while  at  Jericho.  For  we 
have  come  to  a  time  when  a  man's  hair  is  an  essential  part  of  him. 

Another  item  in  the  minister's  responsibility  in  his  own  support  is, 
that  he  be  a  man,  and  his  wife  a  woman,  of  stable  and  frugal  idea^  as  to 
what  constitutes  a  living.  While  they  should  not  be  subjected  to  live 
meanly,  they  should  be  willing  to  live  moderately,  —  in  that  medium 
condition  which,  doubtless,  is  the  most  conducive  to  comfort,  respectabil- 
ity, and  usefulness.  It  is  the  case  with  some  ministers,  that  they  are  not 
supported  because  they  are  not  supportable;  good  ministers,  in  most  re- 
gards, only  they  have  not  the  faculty  to  come  down  to  a  minister's  stipend 
of  living.  They  are  given  to  fancies  and  fashions  which  overleap  all  the 
regular  estimates  of  the  people.  It  is  important  that  the  minister  regu- 
late and'  adjust  his  expenditures  to  a  tolerably  fixed  scale,  in  order  that 
the  people  may  know,  right  along,  the  probable  limit  of  their  responsi- 
bility in  this  regard. 

There  is  still  another  department  of  the  minister's  function  in  his  own 
support  It  is  incumbent  on  him  to  educate  his  people  to  integrity  and 
benevolence,  —  make  them  honest  and  benevolent  The  first  done,  they 
will  pay  as  they  agree.  The  second  done,  they  will  agree  to  furnish  him 
a  reasonable  amount. 

The  minister,  to  do  this  part  of  his  work  thoroughly,  must  be  on  his 
guard  against  the  prevalent  fallacy,  that  converting  men  —  making  them 
Christians  —  of  course  makes  them  honest  and  benevolent  Frequent  and 
painful  facts  show  that  it  does  not  of  course.  Christians  we  must  believe 
we  have,  and,  notwithstanding  the  grace  of  God,  not  strictly,  purely, 
honest;  certainly  not  free  to  give  and  do  for  the  cause  of  God  and  the 
saving  of  men. 

Let  the  minister  put  in,  clearly  and  specifically,  truth,  precept,  instruc- 
tion, for  the  grace  of  God  to  vivify.  And  let  him  persist  to  do  this,  and 
be  still  more  faithful  and  specific,  till  the  conscience  is  brought  up  to  a 


COMMITTEES   APPOINTED.  161 

point  of  enlightenment,  and  measure  of  fidelity,  where,  bo  far  as  his  flock 
is  concerned,  not  only  himself,  but  all  other  men,  will  be  paid  what  is  due 
to  them,  if  to  pay  is  possible. 

Doctrine  J  duty  also^  line  upon  line,  on  the  other  cardinal  virtue^  benev* 
olence,  —  the  disposition  to  disburse  freely  for  all  good  objects.  To  the 
doctrine,  the  instruction,  precept,  which  here,  too,  must  lead,  let  practice 
be  made  to  follow  closely  and  perpetually.  Nothing  like  giving,  to  make 
people  love  giving. 

There  is  a  hurtful  fallacy  here  to  be  guarded  against,  —  that  giving 
depletes  the  resources,  and  so  reduces  the  ability  of  a  Christian  man  or 
body.  The  minister,  in  a  circle  of  small  means,  in  a  parish  of  limited 
strength,  is  liable  to  reason  directly  wrong,  namely,  thus:  If  I  am  to  be 
supported,  I  must  be  on  the  watch,  and  use  my  influence  to  keep  the 
money  mainly  at  home.  He  does  so,  and  he  takes  the  high  road  to  starv- 
ation.   And  he  deserves  to. 

Let  him  change  his  policy,  and  throw  wide  open  his  heart,  —  take  into 
it  the  whole  world,  and  make  it  his  glad  rule  to  help,  personally  and 
through  his  i)eople,  all  good  objects,  —  thus  lead  his  people,  in  acts  of 
giving,  till  they  attain  to  a  hearty  love  of  giving;  that  minister's  sup- 
port has  a  basis  equal  to  the  strength  of  two  Gibr^tars,  —  one  the  integ- 
rity of  his  people,  the  other  the  benevolence  of  the  people. 


George  Shepard, 
Charles  G.  Hammond, 
W.  A.  Buckingham, 
Samuel  Holmes, 
Douglas  Putnam. 


Committee. 


The  report  was  accepted  and  referred  under  the  rule  to  the 
appropriate  committee. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  of  Massachusetts,  for  the 
committee  on  Nominations,  the  following  members  were  added 
to  the  committee  on  the  Declaration  of  Faith :  — 

Prof.  Samuel  Harris,  of  Bangor;  Prof.  Edwards  A.  Park,  of  Ando- 
ver;  Prof.  Edward  A.  Lawrence,  of  East  Windsor;  Prof.  Noah  Porter, 
Jr.,  of  New  Haven;  Prof.  James  H.  Fairchild,  of  Oberlin;  Prof.  Joseph 
Haven,  of  Chi(3ago. 

The  hour  of  11,  A.  m.,  having  arrived,  prayer  was  offered  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Hopkins,  of  Massachusetts,  and  by  Rev.  Dr.  Massie, 
of  England,  and  appropriate  hymns  were  simg. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  for  the  committee  on 
Nominations,  the  following  committees  were  appointed :  — 

ON  evangelization  in  the  west  and  south. 

Bev.  Samuel  W.  S.  Dutton,  d.  d.,  of  Connecticut;  Bev.  Joseph  P.  Thomp- 
son, D.  D.,  of  New  York;  Hon.  Samuel  Williston,  of  Massachusette; 

11 


162  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 

Rev.  Benjamin  P.  Stone,  D.  D.,  of  New  Hampshire ;  Rev.  Lucius  H. 
Parker,  of  Illinois  ;  Rev.  Dexter  Clary,  of  Wisconsin  ;  Judge  Francis 
D.  Parish,  of  Ohio  ;  Rev.  Jesse  Guernsey,  of  Iowa ;  Rev.  William 
Crawford,  of  Colorado  ;  Jacob  Bacon,  of  California  ;  Rev.  George  H. 
Atkinson,  of  Oregon. 

ON  THE  RELATION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS  TO  THE  CONGREGA- 
TIONAL CHURCHES. 

Rev.  W.  Ives  Budington,  D.  D.,  of  New  York  ;  Rev.  Zachary  Eddy, 
D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts ;  Rev.  Charles  C.  Parker,  of  Vermont ;  Rev. 
William  Carter,  of  Illinois  ;  Hon.  Benjamin  Douglas,  of  Connecticut. 

ON  THE    ROLL. 

Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  d.  d.,  of  Illinois  ;  Dea.  Elnathan  F.  Duren,  of 
Maine  ;  Rev.  John  K.  Young,  D.  D.,  of  New  Hampshire  ;  Rev.  Ezra  H. 
Byington,  of  Vermont ;  Rev.  J.  W.  Harding  of  Massachusetts  ;  Rev. 
William  Barrows,  of  Massachusetts  ;  Rev.  Robert  C.  Learned,  of  Con- 
necticut ;  Rowland  Hazard,  Esq.,  of  Rhode  Island  ;  Rev.  L.  Smith 
Hobart,  of  New  York  ;  Rev.  Edward  Hawes,  of  Pennsylvania;  Rev. 
Edwin  Johnson,  of  Maryland  ;  Rev.  Lysander  Kelsey,  of  Ohio  ;  Rev. 
Adam  S.  Kedzie,  of  Michigan  ;  Rev.  S.  Hopkins  Emery,  of  Illinois  ; 
Rev.  Joseph  W.  Healey  of  Wisconsin ;  Rev.  Julius  A.  Reed,  of  Iowa  ; 
Rev.  Richard  Hall,  of  Minnesota ;  Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  Jr.,  of 
Missouri ;  Rev.  Lewis  Bodwell,  of  Kansas  ;  Rev.  Reuben  Graylord,  of 
Nebraska  ;  Rev.  William  Crawford,  of  Colorado  ;  Rev.  Kinsley  Twin- 
ing, of  California  ;  Rev.  John  M.  Holmes,  of  New  Jersey. 

MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 

Rev.  Ray  Palmer,  d.  d.,  of  New  York,  chairman  of  commit- 
tee, read  the  following:  — 

By  the  conference  of  committees  from  the  principal  ecclesiastical  bod- 
ies representing  the  Congregational  churches  in  the  United  States,  which 
met  at  New  York,  in  the  chapel  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  Church, 
on  the  seventeenth  of  November,  1864,  the  undersigned  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  call  the  attention  of  the  National  Council  to  be  assem- 
bled at  Boston  on  the  fourteenth  of  June,  1865,  to  the  subject  of  the 
education  of  young  men  for  the  Christian  ministry,  and  to  make  such 
suggestions  as  might  facilitate  the  thorough  consideration  and  discussion 
of  the  topic.  The  duty  so  imposed  has  seemed  to  them  a  difficult  one. 
The  magnitude  of  the  matter  in  itself ;  its  relation  to  various  questions 
pertaining  to  the  state  and  duty  of  the  churches,  —  to  the  condition  and 
prospects  of  our  colleges,  and  especially  of  our  theological  institutions,  — 
to  the  work  of  home  evangelization  and  that  of  foreign  missions,  and 
the  new  aspects  under  which  it  is  just  now  providentially  presented; 
render  it  no  easy  thing  to  exhibit  it  so  concisely  that  it  can  be  compro- 
hended  at  a  single  view,  and  yet  so  fully  that  it  shall  make,  in  its  details, 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  168 

anything  like  the  desired  impression.  The  committee,  accordingly,  have 
not  been  able  to  make  their  statement  so  brief  as  they  desired;  but  they 
have  not  been  willing,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  to  omit  any  thing  that 
seemed  necessary  to  be  said  in  order  to  a  just  vi^w  of  the  subject  If 
they  have  succeeded  in  bringing  it  fairly  before  the  Council  for  discus- 
sion, they  suppose  that  this  is  all  that  was  expected  of  them.  They, 
therefore,  respectfully  submit  the  following  paper. 

SECTION  L 

TACTS  BEARINO  ON  THB  SUBJECT  OF  THE  EDUCATION  OF  TOUNO  MEN  FOB  THE 

MINI8TBT. 

1.  From  the  day  when  the  Pilgrims  landed  on  Plymouth  Rock,  it  has 
been  the  settled  conviction  of  our  Congregational  churches,  that  for  the 
high  and  responsible  work  of  the  Christian  teacher  a  thorough  intellectual 
discipline  and  culture,  a  truly  liberal  education,  is,  as  the  rule,  impera- 
tively demanded.  No  other  view  could  be  expected  to  prevail  in  churches 
whose  earliest  pastors  were  many  of  them  men  of  eminent  learning  and 
wore  the  honors  of  the  highest  scholarship  in  the  English  universities. 
To  provide  the  means  of  raising  up  for  themselves  an  educated  ministry, 
was,  it  is  well  known,  one  of  the  first  things  connected  with  their  settle- 
ment here  on  which  they  bestowed  anxious  care  and  thought  Our 
standard  of  ministerial  education  has,  therefore,  always  been  relatively 
high;  for  the  last  fifty  years  it  has  been  rising  steadily;  and  it  is  no 
longer  a  question  with  us  whether  it  should  be  carried  to  the  highest 
practicable  point. 

2.  The  number  of  young  men  in  a  course  of  preparation  for  the  min- 
istry, as  compared  with  the  whole  number  of  persons  pursuing  liberal 
studies,  has  for  the  last  twelve  or  fifteen  years  been  on  the  whole  mate- 
rially diminishing.  The  inducements  ofiered  to  Christian  young  men  to 
enter  into  secular  pursuits,  the  growing  respectability  of  teaching  as  a 
profession,  the  increasing  profitableness  of  literature,  the  attractions  of 
the  political  arena,  the  new  enterprises  opened  on  every  hand  and  prom- 
ising rapid  gains,  —  all  the  stimulants,  in  short,  which  are  fitted  to  stir  an 
honorable  ambition  in  gifted  minds,  have  exerted  an  effective  influence 
in  diverting  from  the  sacred  office  those  who  might  naturally  have  been 
expected  to  desire  to  enter  it.  A  mistaken  impression  has  also  prevailed 
that  the  ranks  of  the  ministry  were  already  over-full,  and  by  this  error 
many  have  doubtless  been  turned  aside.  The  demands  of  the  war  just 
closing  have  called  great  numbers  of  young  men  not  only  to  leave  their 
studies,  but  to  lay  down  their  lives,  for  the  sacred  cause  of  national  unity 
and  freedom.  By  these  and  other  causes,  it  has  come  to  pass  that  the 
nimiber  of  students  in  our  colleges  and  seminaries,  who  are  looking  for- 
ward to  the  service  of  Christ  in  the  pulpit,  is  painfully  small,  just  when 
the  need  of  men  in  this  holy  work  is  becoming  every  day  more  urgent 

3.  While  in  general  scholarship  and  theological  training  the  Congrega- 
tional clergy,  as  a  body,  are  probably  unsurpassed  by  any  equally  nu- 
merous clerical  body  in  the  ^vorld,  it  is  quite  plain  that  they  are  but 


164  MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 

partially  meeting  the  spiritual  necessities  of  our  advancing  population. 
Even  in  New  England,  where  our  churches  originally  had  the  ground, 
and  where  it  would  seem  that  they  ought  to  have  kept  pace  with  the 
social  growth,  there  are  now  great  numbers  who  are  not  reached  in  any 
eflTectual  manner  by  the  stated  means  of  grace.  Not  only  in  the  large 
cities  and  manufacturing  towns  into  which  many  of  foreign  birth  have 
gradually  introduced  themselves,  but  also  in  the  country  towns  and  vil- 
lages, where  the  people  are  still  chiefly  of  native  Puritan  descent,  it  is  un- 
deniably true  that  a  very  considerable,  and,  it  is  to  be  feared,  an  increas- 
ing portion  of  the  whole  population  are  not  reached  by  the  ministry  so  as 
to  feel  the  power  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Many  such  are  relapsing  into 
religious  ignorance  and  spiritual  death  in  the  very  sight  of  Christian 
sanctuaries. 

4.  There  are  to  be  found,  in  New  England  itself,  not  a  few  towns  and 
villages  in  which  Congregational  churches  were  once  planted  and  had 
full  possession  of  the  field,  but  in  which  such  churches  have  become 
nearly  or  quite  extinct,  and  the  ground  has  been  occupied  by  others, 
sometimes  by  unevangelical  churches  or  congregations,  and  sometimes 
by  churches  whose  ministry  has  been  far  inferior  in  educational  culture 
V-  to  our  own.    While,  in  the  largeness  of  our  Uberality,  we  have  supplied 

^  c\  to  one  branch  of  the  Presbyterian  church  no  inconsiderable  portion  of 

its  clergy,  and  even. a  greater  portion  probably  of  its  laymen;  while  we 
have  sent  forth  multitudes  of  Christian  missionaries,  and  of  pioneers,  who, 
in  the  newer  parts  of  the  country,  have  planted  chiu'ches,  established 
colleges,  and  laid  the  foimdations  of  a  Christian  civilization,  and  have 
given  our  hearty  support  to  all  forms  of  Christian  effort;  we  have  yet, 
with  all  our  advantages,  failed  to  hold  and  to  strengthen,  in  the  interest 
of  our  Lord,-po8itions  that  once  were  ours.  We  have  lost  them  for  want 
of  care  to  sustain  the  weak,  and  of  fidelity  and  zeal  in  relation  to  the 
unimposing  details  of  Christian  duty. 

6.  In  our  statistical  tables,  a  great  niunber  of  feeble  churches  are 
reported,  which  for  the  larger  part  of  the  time  are  without  pastors,  or 
any  regular  supplies,  and  so  are  becoming  more  and  more  feeble.  Less 
than  ont  third  of  our  churches  have  pastars  settled  over  them.  Some- 
thing more  than  another  third  have  only  stated  supplies;  leaving  some- 
thing a  little  less  than  a  third  of  the  whole  with  no  steady  supply  at  all. 
Most  of  these  are  imable  to  procure  any,  unless  it  be  for  brief  and  uncer- 
tain periods,  and  often,  for  years  together,  suffer  a  dearth  of  the  word 
of  life.    They  are  in  the  sad  condition  of  sheep  without  a  shepherd. 

6.  While  such  a  state  of  things  exists  even  in  New  England,  the  case 
is  still  worse,  much  worse  beyond  these  limits.  The  newer  States,  in- 
cluding the  vast  regions  of  the  West,  now  extending  to  the  Pacific  and 
opening  to  receive  the  flood-tide  of  population,  present  almost  innumer- 
able points  at  which  churches  have  been  planted  and  are  yet  in  a  feeble 
state,  or  must  be  planted  to  struggle  up  from  feebleness  amidst  the  em- 
barrassments and  hardships  of  a  forming  social  condition.  To  these 
illimitable  fields  are  now  added  the  Border  and  Southern  States,  in 
which,  as  the  result  of  our  great  contest,  society  is  to  a  great  extent  to 


/ 


MDVISTEBIAL  EDUCATION.  165 

be  reorganized.  Over  these  extensive  regions  are  to  be  scattered,  for  a 
long  time  to  come,  a  great  number  of  churches  which  will  not  present 
inviting  parishes,  nor  afford  a  liberal. ministerial  support  Yet  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  thfe  cause  of  evangelical  religion,  and  to  the  future 
well-being  of  our  country,  that  these  poHitions  should  be  taken  and  held 
by  faithful  Christian  ministers,  and  that  the  church  should  grow  up  side 
by  side  with  other  institutions  from  the  first 

7.  From  various  parts  of  the  foreign  missionary  field  there  are  soon 
to  be  heard  the  most  earnest  calls  for  efficient  re-enforcements.  For  the 
last  four  years  no  enlargement  of  operations  has  been  attempted.  To 
avoid  disastrous  curtailment,  to  weather  the  financial  storm  without  a 
wreck,  has  been  the  grand  anxiety.  But  four  years,  in  which  little  more 
has  been  done  than  just  to  hold  our  ground,  will  render  imperative  a  vig- 
orous advance  so  soon  as  circumstances  will  permit.  The  day  is  now  at 
hand.  The  missionary  brethren,  who  have  imcomplainingly  borne  ex- 
cessive burdens,  and  have  patiently  endured  the  troubles  arising  from 
straitened  means,  must  speedily  see  others  coming  to  their  aid.  Where 
the  seed  has  been  sown  through  tedious  years,  the  harvest  that  at 
last  has  ripened  must  be  reaped;  and  at  many  a  new  post  must  the 
banner  of  our  Lord  be  planted.  The  educational  institutions  must  be 
manned,  the  work  of  translation  and  of  creating  Christian  literatures 
must  go  forward,  and  the  presses  must  be  kept  effectively  at  work.  For 
men  to  go  forth  and  enter  into  all  these  labors,  in  every  quarter  of 
the  world,  we  shall  very  soon  hear  strong  appeals.  They  come  indeed 
already. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  material  facts  that  meet  us  at  the  threshold  in 
the  consideration  of  the  subject  now  before  us. 

BEABINO  OF  THB8B  FACTS  AS  BEOABDS  THB  MIKI8TBT. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  these  acknowledged  facts  should 
be  set  distinctly  before  both  ministers  and  churches,  and  should  be  care- 
folly  and  seriously  considered.  We,  as  a  denomination,  have  sought  to 
disencumber  Christianity  of  the  machinery  of  a  sensuous  ecclesiasticism. 
We  have  had  faith  in  its  spiritual  power,  and  so  have  returned  to  the 
simple  forms  and  usages  of  the  primitive  church.  We  have  believed 
that  the  gospel,  in  the  naked  simplicity  in  which  Christ  and  his  apostles 
originally  proclaimed  it,  is  the  divinely  appointed  means  for  the  renew- 
ing of  individual  man,  and  for  the  elevating  and  purifying  of  the  social 
and  religious  condition  of  the  world.  We  have  understood  that  Christ 
has  given  his  followers  solemn  charge  to  apply  it  faithfully  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  these  great  ends,  and  that  he  has  pledged  himself,  so  far  as 
this  is  done,  to  make  it  effectual  by  his  co-operative  providence  and 
grace.  In  the  full  enjoyment,  as  a  people,  of  civil  and  religious  freedom, 
we  have  nothing  external  to  embarrass  us  in  so  applying  it  Never,  on 
the  face  of  the  earth,  has  there  been  offered  a  fairer  opportunity  than 
here  exists  for  the  direct  and  thorough  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the 
masses  of  the  people,  and  the  infusing  of  its  peculiar  influences  into  all 
the  relations  and  institutions  of  social  life.    It  would  seem,  therefore, 


166  MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 

that  here  there  should  be  furnished  to  the  whole  world  an  instructive 
and  stimulating  example  of  what  a  pure,  free  gospel,  preached  by  a 
learned  and  godly  ministry,  can  do  to  renovate  and  exalt  a  people,  and  to 
adorn  society  with  the  charm  of  general  intelligence,  refinement,  and 
virtue.  If  evangelical  Christianity  fail  here  to  fulfill  its  mission,  where 
is  it  likely  to  succeed?  What,  then,  is  to  be  said  in  vieW  of  the  facts  to 
which  we  have  referred?  What,  in  particular,  are  the  wantSj  as  regards 
the  Christian  ministry,  which  they  forcibly  suggest? 

SECTION  II.  ^ 

PRBBENT  WAHTS  AB  BEOARD8  THE  MINISTBT. 

1.  First  of  all,  there  is  wanted  for  the  general  needs  of  our  Congre- 
gational churches  a  ministry  in  the  ranks  of  which  shall  be  found  the 
broadest  and  most  thorough  scholarship^ — a  scholarship  no  where  to  be 
surpassed.  It  is  indeed  not  necessary  that  every  individual  minister  shall 
attain,  or  attempt  to  attain,  the  highest  eminence  of  learning.  But 
surely  it  would  ill  become  us,  who,  from  our  earliest  denominational 
history,  have  set  so  high  a  value  on  clerical  education,  and  whose  form 
of  church  organization  and  government  -supposes  intelligence  and  free 
thought,  to  lack  in  our  pastors  and  educators  the  best  learning,  the  most 
finished  culture,  which  the  present  age  in  any  country  can  produce.  At 
a  time  when  the  most  momentous  questions  in  theology,  in  philosophy 
and  morals,  in  philology  and  criticism,  in  science  and  in  social  and  civil 
economy,  are  engaging  constantly  the  popular  as  well  as  the  educated 
mind,  we  must  have  men  to  fill  the  more  important  positions  in  our  insti- 
tutions and  our  churches,  who  can  bring  to  the  discussion  of  these  ques- 
tions not  only  the  highest  power  of  thought,  but  the  most  ample  wealth 
of  knowledge.  We  have  such  men.  We  have  always  had  them.  Kot 
only  some  of  the  ablest  thinkers,  but  some  of  the  most  accurate  philolo- 
gists and  most  comprehensive  scholars,  living,  may  probably  be  foimd 
among  our  clergy.  The  higher  periodical  literature  among  us,  and 
other  publications  connected  with  sacred  learning,  the  result  of  the 
labors  of  such  men,  compare  well  with  the  best  of  other  countries.  But 
it  must  be  admitted  that  such  men  are  by  far  too  few.  Many  more  such 
are  called  for  by  the  exigencies  of  the  time.  We  want  them  to  repel 
the  assaults,  so  confidently  made  on  critical,  scientific,  and  speculative 
grounds,  on  the  very  foundations  of  the  Christian  faith.  We  want  them 
for  many  and  rapidly  multiplying  positions,  which  none  but  the  best 
scholarship  can  creditably  fill.  We  want  them  at  the  head  of  all  our 
collegiate  and  theological  institutions.  We  want  them  in  our  pulpits, 
and  on  our  platforms,  to  teach  pretentious  error  to  be  modest  We 
want  them  in  the  newer  portions  of  our  country,  where  the  foundations 
of  learning  for  many  generations  must  be  laid,  and  the  forming  thought 
of  society  be  shaped.  We  want  them  abroad,  where  translations  of  the 
Scriptures  must  be  made,  and  many  diflicult  tasks  be  performed  with 
the  nicest  scholarly  care.  Without  such  men  in  our  ministry,  we  can 
neither  maintain  our  ancient  prestige,  nor  meet  the  necessities  of  the 
eaucated  and  thoughtful  mind  with  which  we  have  to  deal. 


min;[8T££ial  education.  167 

2.  A  muck  larger  number  of  men  are  at  the  present  moment  wdnted 
in  the  ministry;  and  this  want  is  sure  to  become  every  day  more  press- 
ing. The  carefully  arranged  statistical  tables  in  the  ^^  Congregational 
Quarterly  "  for  January,  1866,  abundantly  justify  this  statement.  The 
total  of  Congregational  churches  is  there  given  at  twenty-eight  hundred 
and  sixty-five;  the  whole  number  of  nominal  ministers,  at  twenty-eight 
hundred  and  sixty-two.  Of  these  ministers,  seven  hundred  and  fifty-six 
are  known  not  to  he  in  the  pastoral  work.  Besides  these,  there  are  reported 
one  hundred  and  forty  whose  status  is  not  ascertained.  Probably  the 
greater  part  of  these  are  not  actually  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try. Adding  say  one  hundred  of  these  to  those  known  not  to  be  so 
engaged,  we  have  eight  hundred  and  fifty-six,  who  really  have  no  rela- 
tion whatever  to  the  supply  of  the  churches,  to  be  deducted  from  the 
total  of  twenty-eight  hundred  and  sixty-three  given  in  the  tables;  leav- 
ing but  two  thousand  and  six  persons  who  are  in  the  pastoral  work  for 
the  supply  of  the  twenty-eight  hundred  and  sixty-five  churches.  If^ 
therefore,  every  minister,  better  or  worse,  who  is  at  this  time  engaged  in 
preaching,  were  to-day  placed  over  a  church,  there  would  remain  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-nine  churches  for  whom  no  minister  could  he  supplied. 
The  fact  that  many  of  these*  churches  are  feeble,  so  far  from  weakening 
the  force  of  this  statement,  only  gives  it  greater  force,  by  showing  that 
their  need  of  pastors  is  most  urgent  The  duty  of  providing  these  eight 
or  nine  hundred  churches  with  pastors,  and  aiding  them,  if  need  be,  to 
sustain  them,  is  clearly  pressing  now  upon  us.  To  this  we  must  also 
add,  that  for  the  exploring  of  the  vast  regions  in  which  churches  ought 
to  be  formed  at  once,  or  must  speedily  be  formed,  and  also  for  the  vari- 
ous departments  of  the  foreign  missionary  service,  many,  very  many 
more  ministers  are  urgently  demanded. 

3.  But,  further,  the  want  which  is  becoming  every  day  more  pressing, 
extends  beyond  mere  numbers.  We  want  men,  who,  hy  their  natural 
endotvments  and  their  special  training,  are  adapted  to  the  work  that  now 
is  not  accomplished. 

AVe  are  not  now  called  upon,  it  is  conceived,  as  churches,  to  make  any 
special  efibrts  and  sacrifices  to  raise  up  pastors  for  the  well-paying  and 
prosperous  parishes.  These  will,  of  course,  need  a  steady  succession  of 
thoroughly  educated,  able,  and  earnest  ministers.  But  the  supply  of  the 
pulpits  of  such  parishes  may  safely  be  left  to  take  care  of  itself.  With 
due  care  to  supply  the  proper  facilities  for  education,  and  in  view  of  the 
number  of  Christian  young  men  who  are  coming  forward,  it  is  quite  cer- 
tain that  those  positions  in  the  ministry,  which  are  in  themselves  pleas- 
ant and  desirable,  will  be  desired  and  sought  It  may  occasionally  hap- 
pen that  a  particular  church,  though  every  way  attractive,  will  have 
some  temporary  difficulty  in  finding  the  man  it  wants;  but  this  may  arise 
from  unreasonable  expectations,  or  from  the  number  of  candidates  pro- 
posed, or  some  such  incidental  embarrassment  In  general,  however,  it 
may  safely  be  calculated  on,  that,  as  regards  the  more  eligible  places,  the 
supply  will  keep  pace  with  the  demand.  In  saying  this,  we  are  casting 
no  reproach  on  either  the  churches  or  the  ministry.    The  prosperous 


1G8  MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 

churches  are  not  to  be  blamed  for  desiring  the  best  pastors  they  can 
obtain.  Ministers,  when  called  by  the  churches  to  responsible  charges, 
where,  though  the  labors  are  great,  the  circumstances  are  congenial,  are 
not  to  be  blamed  for  undertaking  those  charges.  The  simple  fact  to  be 
noticed  is,  that  the  law  which  holds  in  all  other  departments  of  social 
life  is  likely  to  hold  here,  —  namely,  that  what  is  in  itself  worth  seeking, 
somebody  will  certainly  be  found  to  seek.  It  is  not  in  this  direction 
that  the  attention  and  the  efforts,  especially  the  charitable  efforts,  of 
the  churches  should  now  be  turned.  It  is  not  about  the  men  required 
for  these  positions  that  there  is  occasion  specially  to  concern  ourselves. 

We  are  specially  called  on  to  bring  forward  into  the  ministry,  as  soon 
as  possible,  from  eight  hundred  to  one  thousand  young  ministers,  who 
are  fitted  to  the  particular  work  of  raising  up  the  feeble  churches  of  New 
England,  and  the  new  churches  in  other  parts  of  our  wide  country,  that 
must  be  feeble  for  a  time.  It  is  plain,  that,  for  this  service,  men  of  a 
certain  type  are  needed.  It  is  not  disparaging  the  ministry,  as  a  class, 
to  say,  that,  on  all  ordinary  principles  of  calculation,  it  must  be  expected, 
that,  out  of  a  given  nimiber  who  enter  the  sacred  office,  there  will  be  a 
certain  per  cent  who  can  not  be  successfuL  It  is  so  in  aU  other  pursuits 
in  which  men  are  accustomed  to  engage,  and,  without  a  perpetual  mira- 
cle, it  will  always  be  so  in  this.  Some  will  lack  in  part,  and  some  almost 
wholly,  after  sdl  the  processes  of  education,  the  peculiar  powers  and 
qualities  which  give  influence  over  men. 

It  has,  probably,  been  one  of  the  practical  errors  of  the  past,  to  im- 
agine that  this  class  of  ministers  might  meet  the  wants  of  the  churches 
that  are  suffering  from  chronic  weakness,  and  of  those  that  have  been 
newly  planted.  On  the  contrary,  inasmuch  as  the  work  to  be  done  for 
these  is  peculiarly  difficult,  the  men  to  do  it  must  be  men  of  special  force 
and  tact  Only  men  of  physical  energy,  of  gristle,  nerve,  and  pluck,  — 
men  whom  hard  work,  hard  fare,  and  hard  usage  of  all  sorts,  will  not 
kill,  —  can  be  expected  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  such  a  service.  There 
must  be,  also,  an  intellectual  adaptation  not  less  positive  and  marked. 
We  live  in  stirring  times.  All  the  pulses  of  social  life  beat  quick  and 
strong.  The  minds  of  people  of  remotest  places  are  reached  by  all  sorts 
of  stimulating  influences,  and  thought  and  feeling  are  intensified  to  a 
high  degree.  Whoever  is  to  exert  a  molding  infiuence  on  a  people  in 
such  a  state,  must  be  himself  alive,  flexible,  vigorous,  sympathetic,  hu- 
man, as  well  as  scholarly,  intellectual,  and  pious.  He  must  have  quick- 
ness to  plan,  and  enthusiasm  to  execute;  must  know  how  to  find  access 
to  the  hearts  even  of  the  prejudiced  and  hostile;  and  be  sagacious  in 
discerning,  and  prompt  in  meeting,  the  exigencies  that  every  day  will 
bring.  It  is  young  men,  who  have  the  capacity  for  all  this,  that  are  de- 
manded. What  we  here  say,  in  regard  to  the  kind  of  men  demanded  for 
the  missionary  work  at  home,  is  not  less  true  in  respect  to  those  wanted 
for  the  missionary  work  abroad.  They  must  be  men  whom  God,  by 
their  natural  endowments,  has  fitted  to  force  and  grapple  with  the  ardu- 
ous and  peculiar  difficulties  which  that  work  of  necessity  involves. 

4.  But  we  must  go  still  farther.    The  men  now  wanted  in  the  ministry 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  169 

muBt  be  men  who,  along  with  force  of  natural  character,  possess  also  the 
higher  force  which  eminent  faith  and  the  deepest  Christian  earnestness 
supply.  With  the  facts  of  the  case  before  us,  it  is  plain  that  ministers 
are  demanded  who  will  be  willing  to  enter,  and  ivilling  to  stay  in  the  most 
trying  and  difficult  fields,  if  so  the  Master  in  his  providence  directs.  To 
go  into  obscure  and  feeble  parishes,  or  into  destitute  regions  to  plant 
new  churches,  or  into  the  isolation  and  trials 'bf  a  home  among  pagans, 
and  to  be  able  and  willing  patiently  to  labor  there,  requires  a  vigorous 
hold  on  things  unseen,  and  a  deep  baptism  into  the  spirit  of  self-sacri- 
fice. To  do  these  things  men  must  be  had  to  whom  the  pleasures  of 
filling  a  conspicuous  position,  of  preaching  to  refined  and  appreciative 
hearers,  of  being  surrounded  by  agreeable  society,  and  even  of  having  a 
comfortable  support,  will  hardly  be  taken  into  the  account  in  accepting 
a  field  of  labor.  They  must  be  men  who,  not  in  some  highly  figurative 
sense,  but  literally,  count  all  things  but  loss  in  comparison  with  the  priv- 
ilege of  imparting  the  knowledge  of  Christ  to  those  whose  need  of  it  is 
greatest  ;  who  feel  that  a  woe  is  on  them  if  they  preach  not  the  gos- 
pel, and  are  determined  to  preach  it,  paid  or  unpaid,  with  comforts  or 
without  comforts,  and  have  even  a  holy  ambition  to  work  in  the  dark- 
est and  most  cheerless  places  where  work  is  to  be  done.  Is  it  doubted 
whether  it  can  be  the  duty  of  Christian  young  men  to  give  themselves 
to  the  preaching  of  the  word  at  such  a  cost?  Paul  and  the  first  preach- 
ers of  Christianity  did.  There  have  been  those  in  all  ages  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  who  have  done  it.  If  Francis  Xavier,  and  Ignatius  Loyola, 
and  others  like  them  in  the  Bomish  church,  could  rise  to  such  a  heroic 
self-devotion  as  they  exhibited,  is  it  too  much  to  hope,  that,  under  the 
clearer  light  and  higher  inspirations  of  spiritual  Christianity,  men  may 
be  raised  up  to  emulate,  in  doing  the  work  of  Christ,  their  zeal,  their 
self-denials,  their  patient  endurance  of  sufiering?  Without  such  men  to 
meet  the  present  and  prospective  need,  it  is  clear  that  our  own  country 
can  not  be  brought  fully  under  the  power  of  Christ's  religion,  still  less 
can  the  world  ever  be  won  to  God.  It  will  be  of  little  use  to  increase 
the  number  of  young  ministers,  or  even  'to  bring  the  most  gifted  and 
energetic  of  our  sons  into  the  sacred  office,  if,  after  all,  they  have  not  the 
sublime  self-devotion  which  will  make  them  willing  to  go  any  where,  and 
to  face  any  discouragements  whatever  for  Christ's  sake.  Without  this 
in  the  ministry,  the  work  that  now  lies  undone  will  still  lie  undone; 
moral  wastes  will  multiply;  churches  will  become  extinct;  and  we  as  a 
Christian  denomination  shall  appear  to  have  lost  the  spirit  of  our  godly 
fathers,  whose  faith  and  polity  have  come  down  to  us  as  a  goodly  heritage. 
Apostolic  faith  and  zeal,  and  unfiinching  readiness  to  do  or  suffer,  — 
nothing  short  of  a  ministry  .possessing  these  high  spiritual  endowments, 
will  meet  the  present  want. 

.  5.  We  want  likewise,  it  must  be  added,  men  for  the  ministry  who  tin- 
derstand  and  heartily  approve  the  system  of  faith  and  the  ecclesiastical 
principles  of  the  Fathers  of  New  England.  It  is  the  just  glory  of  our 
churches  that  they  are  of  all  churches  the  most  truly  catholic.  This 
arises  from  the  fact,  that  according  to  the  teaching  of  Christ  and  the 


170  KIKISTEKIAL  EDUCATION. 

apostles,  and  in  opposition  to  corrupt  ecclesiastical  traditions,  we  have 
placed  vital  ChriBtianity,  the  renewing  and  saving  power  of  the  gosi)el 
and  the  cross,  first  and  highest  in  our  religious  system,  and  have  made 
modes  of  worship  and  forms  of  administration  subordinate  to  life. 
While  others  have  deemed  organic  unity,  an  outward  consolidation  of 
churches,  a  thing  to  be  desired,  our  fathers  saw  in  it,  and  we  see  in  it, 
only  a  peril  to  the  Uberties  and  to  the  purity  of  the  Christian  brother- 
hood. It  has  appeared  to  us,  that,  of  all  men  on  the  earth.  Christian 
men  are  most  likely  to  be  capable  of  self-government;  and  it  has  seemed 
that  the  freedom  and  the  responsibilities  of  self-government  must  tend 
to  develop  individual  Christian  activity,  and  to  make  church  membership 
a  real  commitment  of  each  disciple  to  a  practical  and  working  piety. 
We  can  not  but  think  that  our  principles,  as  sanctioned  alike  by  reason 
and  the  Scriptures,  are,  for  our  own  sakes  and  our  children's,  worth 
maintaining;  and  also,  that,  faithfully  maintaining  them,  we  shall  exert 
a  most  salutary  influence  on  the  large  bodies  of  consolidated  churches 
with  which  we  come  in  friendly  contact,  in  the  way  of  infusing  into  them 
a  more  liberal  spirit  than  naturally  belongs  to  their  own  systems,  and  by 
in  some  sort  constrainihg  them  to  respect  the  rights  of  individual  be- 
lievers and  those  of  the  local  churches.  With  these  views  of  our  polity, 
it  appears  to  us  a  sacred  trust  committed  to  the  children  of  the  Puritans 
for  the  good  of  the  churches  of  all  names,  not  less  than  for  their  own. 

The  men,  therefore,  whom  the  wants  of  our  churches,  in  their  present 
rapid  multiplication,  urge  us  to  bring  into  the  ministry,  must  be  men 
who  are  the  sons  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  not  by  birth  or  in  name  merely, 
but  as  grasping  the  same  great  effective  principles  which  made  them  the 
successful  founders  and  vindicators  of  civil  and  religious  freedom,  and 
breathing  the  same  spirit  of  devotion  to  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures, 
to  earnest  and  progressive  religious  thought,  and  to  a  piety  of  deep  expe- 
rience. Men  who  do  not  understand  and  love  our  principles,  and  can 
not  teach  our  churches  to  understand  and  love  them;  men  who  have  in 
them  no  sympathy  with  the  great  ideas  that  cluster  historically  about  old 
Plymouth  Bock,  —  who  do  not  see  that  it  is  very  much  through  the  force 
of  these  ideas  that  there  is  so  much  of  Christian  liberality,  and  so  much 
genuine  catholic  feeUng  among  the  evangelical  churches  of  all  names 
throughout  our  country,  —  are  not  the  men  to  do  the  work  that  presses 
on  our  hands.  The  hearts  of  great  numbers  of  the  people,  in  all  parts  of 
the  land,  are  open  all  the  more  to  receive  our  scriptural  theology,  because 
they  see  it  allied  to  a  church  organization  and  government  so  peculiarly 
in  accord  with  the  progressive  and  practical  spirit  of  the  time.  In  such 
a  state  of  things,  we  want  ministers  who  have  positive  convictions  as  to 
the  truth  and  the  value  of  our  principles;  ministers,  in  a  word,  who  are 
Congregationalists  in  hearty  to  take  the  oversight  of  our  churches,  and 
to  conserve  and  make  yet  more  perfect  the  precious  religious  heritage  we 
have  received  from  ancestors  whose  names  are  among  the  most  honored 
of  mankind.  It  is  such  men  that  the  churches,  and  particularly  the  new 
churches,  are  more  and  more  imperatively  requiring. 

Such  seem  to  the  conmiittee  to  be  the  chief  wants,  as  regards  the  sup- 


MINI8TEBIAL  EDUCATION.  171 

ply  of  a  fit  ministry,  wliich,  in  view  of  the  facts  referred  to  in  the  begin- 
ning, are  forcing  themselves  on  the  attention  of  the  churches.  We  are 
brought,  then,  to  the  inquiry,  WTiat  aJuill  he  done,  to  the  end  that  these 
wants  may  be  effectually  met? 

SECTION  m. 

WHAT  OUGHT  KOW  TO  BE  DONE? 

1.  In  accordance  with  the  well-known  views  of  the  fathers  of  New 
England,  and  our  own  convictions  as  to  the  value  of  thorough  theological 
education,  our  theological  seminaries  should,  as  soon  as  possible,  he 
placed  in  a  position  to  offer  all  /acilities  which  the  highest  scholarship  in 
this  department  may  require. 

At  present,  none  of  our  theological  seminaries  are  properly  endowed. 
The  number  of  professorships  is  wholly  inadequate  to  the  work  that 
should  be  done;  the  necessary  consequence  of  which  is,  that  the  profes- 
sors are  often  over-worked,  and,  after  all,  the  course  of  study  is  too  nar- 
row. The  libraries  are  comparatively  meager,  and  fall  far  short  of 
meeting  the  wants  both  of  the  professors  and  the  students.  The  provis- 
ion for  the  pursuit  of  those  branches  of  learning,  which,  whUe  ribt 
strictly  included  in  the  study  of  theology,  are  collateral  and  auxiliary  to 
it,  amounts  to  almost  nothing.  As  a  large  part  of  the  presidents  and 
professors  of  our  colleges  and  seminaries  at  home,  and  of  the  men  who 
must  master  foreign  languages  and  literatures,  and  be  the  translators  and 
the  educators  at  our  foreign  missionary  stations,  must  be  trained  in  our 
theological  institutions,  the  deficiencies  which  exist  are  the  more  to  be 
regretted.  It  has  hitherto  been  a  necessity,  that  those  who  have  wished 
to  pursue  their  studies  up  to  the  highest  range  of  scholarship  should  go 
to  Germany,  or  elsewhere  abroad,  in  order  to  find  the  requisite  facilities. 
To  this  there  are  very  grave  objections;  and  such  a  course  would  no 
longer  be  needful  were  our  own  institutions  such  as  they  ought  to  be. 
It  is  far  better  that  those  who  are  to  be  at  the  head  of  our  literary  insti- 
tutions, who  are  to  shape  the  thought,  and,  to  a  great  extent,  to  deter- 
mine the  spirif  and  character  of  our  churches,  should  be  educated  in  the 
moral  atmosphere  of  our,  own  country,  than  where  influences  prevail 
which  are  not  in  harmony  with  the  principles  and  habits  which  we  have 
inherited  from  our  noble  ancestors,  and  which  have  been  a  chief  source 
of  our  national  power  and  glory.  We  can  have,  we  ought  to  have,  we 
HT7ST  have,  theological  institutions  unsurpassed  hy  any  in  the  world  in 
the  largeness  and  completeness  of  the  advantages  they  offer,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Pilgrims.  They 
must  lack  nothing  in  the  way  of  men  or  endowments  or  books,  but  must 
be  thoroughly  equipped.  To  this  important  matter,  it  is  conceived,  im- 
mediate attention  should  be  given.  It  has  been  neglected  already  quite 
too  long. 

2.  It  is  also  greatly  to  be  desired,  it  is,  indeed,  an  imperative  necessity, 
that  the  advantages  of  our  theological  seminaries,  made  thus  ample,  he 
placed  within  the  reach  of  all  suitable  candidates  for  the  Christian  ministry,  i  i 


172  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 

It  will  avail  but  little  to  urge  Christian  parents  to  consecrate  their  sons, 
or  young  men  of  piety  and  talents  to  devote  themselves  to  Christ's  ser- 
vice in  the  ministry,  if  the  way  is  not  fairly  open  for  them  to  get  the 
needed  preparation.  The  whole  subject  of  charitable  aid,  in  some  form, 
to  those  preparing  for  the  ministry,  must  be  taken  up  anew  in  the  light 
of  experience,  and  with  due  regard  to  the  change  of  circumstances  which 
the  past  few  years  have  wrought.  The  expenses  of  living  at  any  of  our 
seminaries  are  at  least  treble  what  they  were  thirty  years  ago.  The 
trifling  assistance  which  could  at  that  time  be  rendered  to  deserving 
young  men,  and  which  then  but  barely  enabled  them  to  struggle  through, 
is  wholly  insufficient  now.  While  the  standard  of  scholarship  has  mate- 
rially risen,  and  the  student  can  less  than  ever  afford  to  have  his  studies 
interrupted  by  efforts  for  his  own  support,  he  is  more  than  ever  under 
the  necessity  of  interrupting  them  if  he  will  avoid  the  burden  of  hope- 
less debt  Our  own  institutions  —  a  strange  thing  to  be  true  in  view  of 
our  past  history  —  are  more  deficient  in  the  means  of  rendering  aid  than 
those  of  other  denominations  with  whom  we  affiliate.  Because  of  this, 
a  very  considerable  number  of  our  young,  men,  within  the  last  few  years, 
have  naturally  been  induced,  by  the  hope  of  more  liberal  assistance,  to 
turn  away  from  the  seminaries  in  which  our  own  doctrines  and  polity 
are  taught;  and  so,  educated  in  another  atmosphere,  and  forming  other 
associations,  they  have  many  of  them  been  lost  to  us.  We  rejoice  in  the 
thought  that  they  carry  somewhat  of  the  free  and  catholic  spirit  of  New 
England,  and  of  our  communion  as  a  whole,  into  churches  where  it  is 
likely  to  be  useful;  but  to  us  as  a  fellowship  of  churches,  the  suffering 
of  this  process  to  go  on  is  suicidal.  We  want  our  own  young  men.  We 
ought  to  retain  them  for  the  service  of  our  own  churches  and  for  the  man- 
ning of  our  own  missions.  But  the  only  way  to  retain  them  is  to  enable 
our  own  institutions  to  give  them  the  help  they  need.  In  order  to  this, 
the  wealthy  members  of  our  churches  must  be  induced  to  endow  scholar- 
ships, the  avails  of  which  may  be  granted,  by  examinations  held,  to 
good  attainments  and  general  promise;  so  that  every  young  man,  who  is 
qualified  by  his  talents,  diligence,  and  piety  to  enter  the  sacred  office, 
may  be  enabled,  without  the  interruptions  and  distresses  of  poverty,  to 
pursue  a  thorough  course  of  study.  The  same  provision,  or  sometJiing 
equivalent  to  this,  should  also  be  made  in  the  colleges,  that  there  as  well 
as  in  the  theological  schools,  young  men  of  the  right  character  may  be 
helped  forward  toward  the  ministry,  instead  of  sinking  under  discour- 
agements, or  turning  to  other  courses  of  life.  An  adequate  number  of 
scholarships,  supplemented  by  the  American  Education  Society,  and  per- 
haps, also,  by  some  associations  for  the  supply  of  clothing,  and  for  the 
care  of  students  who  may  be  sick,  would  place  our  institutions  in  an  en- 
tirely different  position  from  that  which  they  now  occupy  in  respect  to 
students.  They  would,  in  this  way,  be  able  to  offer  their  advantages 
freely  to  all  suitable  persons  who  might  be  inclined  to  profit  by  them. 
Without  such  liberal  provision  we  must  expect  to  continue  to  lose  many 
of  our  best  young  men. 

3.  While  such  provision  is  made  for  the  assistance  of  those  who  wish 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  173 

to  prepare  themselves  thoroughly  for  the  ministry,  pious  and  promising 
young  men,  whose  circumstances  absolutely  forbid  a  full  course  of  study, 
must  he  brought  forward  by  a  shorter  process^  and  must  be  allowed  to 
resort  to  the  theological  seminaries  for  swc/i  limited  periods  and  such  par^ 
tial  studies  as  may  seem  expedient  in  each  case. 

In  past  years,  it  has  been  felt  that  there  were  strong  objections  to  the 
admission  of  students  to  the  privileges  of  the  theological  schools  unless 
they  could  proceed  in  the  regular  order  of  study  to  the  end.  It  was 
feared  that  to  allow  any  to  enter  the  ministry  with  any  thing  short  of  the 
established  course  of  study  might  tend  to  lower  the  general  standard  of 
ministerial  education.  But  necessity  is  an  efficient  teacher.  In  view  of 
the  great  and  urgent  wants  of  our  country,  as  well  as  of  the  world,  it 
has  become  quite  certain  that  it  will  not  be  possible  to  furnish  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  highly-educated  ministers  to  supply  the  demand.  At  the 
same  time  there  are  found  young  men  of  good  ordinary  education,  good 
sense,  or  even  superior  natural  abilities,  who,  owing  to  something  peculiar 
in  their  circumstances,  can  not  go  through  the  regular  course  of  study, 
and  yet,  with  a  more  limited  preparation,  might  be  exceedingly  useful  as 
preachers  of  the  gospel.  It  is  believed  that  the  time  has  now  fully  come 
when  such  young  men  should  be  permitted  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of 
our  theological  institutions  for  the  purpose  of  taking  any  such  partial 
course  as  the  exigencies  of  each  case  may  render  proper,  and  should, 
with  this,  be  commissioned  and  sent  forth.  Men  of  this  class,  like  the 
first  disciples  that  went  every  where  preaching  the  word,  may  do  excel- 
lent service  as  faithful  witnesses  for  Christ.  Leaving  to  their  more  thor- 
oughly educated  brethren  the  higher  offices  of  the  Christian  teacher, 
they  may,  perhaps  with  some  advantage  from  their  less  scholastic  tastes 
and  modes  of  thinking,  come  into  close  sympathy  with  common  people, 
and  testify  to  them  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  If  it  be  true,  as  some 
have  thought,  thai  —  not  necessarily  it  may  be,  but  really  —  the  high 
culture  of  our  ministers  has  tended  to  place  them  sometimes  too  far  above 
those  whom  they  should  reach  and  save,  a  moderate  number  of  earnest, 
judicious  men,  with  less  of  the  spirit  of  the  schools,  might  do  a 
special  service  in  the  way  of  counteracting  such  a  tendency,  and 
maintaining  a  vital  contact,  a  practical  community  of  feeling,  between 
the  clergy  as  a  body  and  those  who  need  the  gospel.  Certainly  they  may 
help  to  make  up  the  deficiency  in  numbers;  and  a  warm-hearted  Chris- 
tian preacher  and  pastor,  though  lacking  the  best  scholarship,  may  be 
owned  of  God  to  the  saving  of  many  souls  that  must  otherwise  have 
been  left  to  perish.  With  due  care,  there  seems  to  be  no  need  to  fear 
that  the  admission  of  some  men  of  special  adaptation  to  the  work  of 
preaching  Christ,  with  an  abbreviated  course  of  preparatory  study,  will 
either  lower  the  standard  of  general  theological  education,  or  deterio- 
rate the  general  character  of  the  ministry.  We  may  safely,  in  this  cose 
as  in  others,  obey  the  call  of  the  providence  of  God. 

4.  Yet  further:  a  general  and  earnest  eflbrt  should  at  once  be  made  to 
awaken  in  the  churches  a  new  enthusiasm  for  the  work  of  the  Christian 
ministry. 


174  MINISTERIAL    EDUCATION. 

To  the  accomplishment  of  this,  the  religious  press  may  effectively  con- 
tribute; but  the  chief  reliance  mUst  be  on  faithful  presentations  of  the 
subject  by  the  pastors.  Many  of  us  can  well  remember  when,  through 
the  burning  words  of  Porter,  Griflln,  Cornelius,  and  others  of  like  ardor, 
a  fire  was  kindled  in  the  hearts  of  Christian  parents  and  Christian  young 
men  that  glowed  with  a  notable  intensity.  It  led  godly  fathers  and 
mothers  with  prayers  and  tears  to  consecrate  their  children  from  their 
birth  to  Christ's  service  in  the  gospel,  in  the  hope  that  he  would  call 
them  to  it;  and  to  a  conscientious  and  carefiil  training  of  them  with  ref- 
erence to  the  sacred  oflSce.  Possibly,  at  that  time,  too  little  discrimina- 
tion was  used  in  advising  young  men  to  enter  on  a  course  of  preparation 
for  the  ministry,  —  an  error  to  be  carefully  avoided ;  but  this  was  certainly 
no  reason  why  the  whole  subject  should  have  been  dropped,  as  we  fear  it 
has  been,  to  a  great  extent  at  least  We  must  come  back  again  —  the  pas- 
tors must  carry  the  churches  back — to  the  old  conviction,  or  even  a 
deeper  conviction,  of  the  value  of  the  Christian  ministry,  and  of  the 
honor  and  blessedness  of  the  work,  in  spite  of  all  its  crosses,  when  un- 
dertaken and  performed  in  a  truly  Christian  spirit.  Young  men  must 
be  persuaded,  by  cogent  arguments  and  stirring  appeals,  that  to  be  a 
good  minister  of  Jesus  is  to  occupy  a  position  than  which  there  is  none 
more  worthy  to  be  aspired  to,  none  higher  and  nobler  in  the  world.  Such 
an  ardor  as  we  have  seen  move  the  young  men  of  the  country  to  enlist 
in  the  loyal  service  for  the  attainment  of  the  grandest  of  earthly  ends 
must  be  awakened  in  the  minds  of  the  sons  of  Christian  parents;  an 
eagerness  to  enlist  in  the  army  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  leaders  of  the  host 
that  is  going  forth  at  his  command  to  put  down  the  great  rebellion 
against  his  throne.  Every  pastor  has  a  personal  responsibility  to  see 
that  this  is  done  within  his  own  particular  circle.  Each  must  become  an 
earnest  recruiting  agent,  using  of  course  all  due  care  to  enrol  those  only 
who  have  the  requisite  gifts  and  capabilities  for  the  service.  Tlie  presi- 
dents and  professors  in  our  colleges  have  equally  a  duty  to  perform.  It 
will  no  longer  do  to  leave  this  subject  to  take  care  of  itself.  The  most 
attractive  objects  of  ambition,  the  most  inviting  prospects  of  wealth  and 
worldly  greatness  and  distinction,  present  themselves  to  our  young  men 
on  every  side,  and  must  be  expected  to  engage  them  in  secular  pursuits, 
unless  they  can  be  made  to  see  that  the  claims  of  Christ  on  them  are 
paramount,  and  that  his  rewards  surpass  infinitely  all  that  earth  can 
ofier.  Until  the  churches  are  thoroughly  aroused  to  this  great  matter, 
80  that  our  pious  young  men,  sharing  in  the  common  impulse,  shall  he  in- 
spired with  the  spirit  of  a  truly  Christian  chivalry,  with  the  healthful 
enthusiasm  of  a  loyalty  to  Christ  that  shall  make  his  service  the  best  and 
highest  to  their  thought,  the  ranks  of  the  ministry  are  not  likely  to  be 
filled  with  the  choicest  sons  of  believing  parents. 

6.  It  is  not  less  important,  likewise,  that  those  whose  attention  is  di- 
rected toward  the  ministry,  should  be  led,  from  the  outset,  and  by  the 
whole  drift  and  spirit  of  their  education,  to  regard  it  as  eminently  de- 
manding a  self-devoting  and  world-renoxmcing  spirit 

Where  the  church  is  organically  connected  with  the  State,  and  so  is 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  175 

directly  related  to  political  and  civil  life,  the  tendency,  necessarily,  is,  to 
regard  the  ministry  simply  as  a  prdfession,  —  as  offering  agreeable  em- 
ployment, a  respectable  position,  opportunity  for  literary  culture,  a 
comfortable  livelihood,  and,  with  all  these,  a  prospect  of  advancement 
It  is  but  natural,  that  to  those  who  enter  the  ministry  with  such  a  view 
of  it  as  this,  —  who  choose  it,  as  others  choose  the  profession  of  law  or 
medicine,  for  the  sake  of  the  worldly  advantages  it  offers  them,  —  it 
should  seem  entirely  proper  to  desire,  and  habitually  to  seek  to  reach, 
the  highest  and  the  best  positions.  But  it  will  be  a  sad  day  for  the  in- 
terests of  pure  religion  in  our  churches,  when  our  young  men  generally 
shall  think  of  the  pastoral  office  as  they  thmk  of  the  secular  professions, 
and  seek,  in  entering  it,  chiefly  the  gratification  of  their  own  tastes, 
and  their  own  comfort  and  respectability  in  life.  Any  approach  to  such 
a  state  of  things  may  well  excite  alarm,  Christ  does  not  call  men  into 
the  ministry,  as  into  a  mere  profession,  in  which  to  make  agreeable  pro- 
vision for  themselves.  He  calls  them  into  it  as  into  a  high  and  holy  ser- 
vice, in  which,  with  disinterested  devotion  to  his  person,  to  toil,  to  con- 
tend, to  suffer,  if  need  be,  for  the  saving  of  men's  souls,  and  for  the  honor 
of  his  name.  To  seek  one's  own  pleasure  in  entering  the  ministry;  to 
indulge,  when  in  it,  an  ambitious  and  worldly  spirit,  —  to  be  dissatisfied 
with  the  position  in  which  Christ  has  placed  one,  because  it  is  obscure, 
or  because  the  people  are  not  refined,  or  because  one's  sphere  seems  cir- 
cumscribed ;  in  short,  to  be  intent  on  personal  advantages,  and  disposed 
to  get  away  from  difficulties,  instead  of  facing  them  with  courage,  is  to  . 
mistake,  sadly  and  totally,  the  nature  of  the  work  which  has  been  given 
in  charge  to  his  ministers  by  the  ascended  Lord.  All  this  is,  in  general 
terms,  admitted. 

But  is  there  not  need  to  make  the  necessity  of  self-sacrifice  far  more 
prominent,  when  the  claims  of  the  ministry  are  pressed  upon  the  young 
men  of  our  churches,  than  it  has  been  hitherto?  If  it  is  for  the  home 
missionary  work  and  for  the  foreign  missionary  work  that  we  are  now 
specially  concerned  to  raise  up  ministers,  care  must  he  taken  to  educate 
them  into  such  views  and  such  a  spirit  as  will  fit  them  for  these  forms 
of  Christian  labor.  From  the  first,  our  pious  sons  must  be  taught  to 
dismiss  the  romantic  notion,  that  they  may  look  forward  to  the  ministry 
as  affording  a  position  in  which  to  gratify  their  literary  tastes,  and  to 
enjoy  intelligent  and  refined  pociety.  They  must  be  led  to  regard  an 
entrance  into  the  sacred  office  as  committing  them  to  a  service,  high  in- 
deed and  honorable,  divinely  appointed,  and  connected  with  the  sublim- 
est  satisfactions  and  rewards;  but  yet  attended,  or  liable  to  be  attended, 
with  privations  and  trials,  and  even  with  personal  sufferings,  analogous 
to  those  of  which  the  life  of  Christ  himself,  and  of  Paul  and  his  fellow- 
apostles,  were  so  full.  To  this  education  of  pious  young  men  to  higher 
and  more  spiritual  conceptions  of  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  to  purer 
and  more  disinterested  aims,  Christian  parents  and  the  Christian  pulpit 
must  contribute.  College  officers  must  make  conscience  of  lending  all 
their  influence  to  help  it  on.  Above  all,  our  theological  seminaries  must 
give  a  very  marked  prominence  to  spiritual  culture,  in  its  course  of  train- 


176  MINISTERIAL    EDUCATION. 

ing,  and  must  be  pre-eminently  pervaded  by  a  warm,  v-italizing  and  in- 
spiring Christian  atmosphere.  Even  the  most  ample  learning  and  the 
most  complete  dogmatic  knowledge  will  fail  utterly  to  give  us  the  min- 
istry we  need,  if  not  steeped  in  devout  affection,  and  consecrated  by  the 
baptism,  and  rich  indwelling,  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  It  is  for  the 
churches  to  look  to  this,  and  to  insist  that  the  cultivation  of  a  fervent  per- 
sonal  piety  shall  not  only  be  distinctly  recognized  as  a  prominent  part 
of  the  work  to  be  accomplished  in  the  theological  seminary,  but  shall  he 
niade  subordinate  to  nothing  else.  We  believe  it  wrong  to  say,  as  haa 
been  sometimes  said  that  there  is  less  of  a  devotional  spirit  among  theo- 
logical students  than  among  the  average  of  Christians  elsewhere.  TVe 
think  it  especially  wrong  to  blame  the  few  and  overtasked  professors, 
whose  attention  must  necessarily  be  very  largely  occupied  with  their 
several  departments,  for  not  doing  all  that  is  needed  to  produce,  with 
steadiness,  an  elevated  tone  of  Christian  feeling.  Particular  provision 
ought  to  be  made,  in  every  theological  institution,  for  the  spiritual 
training  of  all  connected  with  it;  to  this  should  be  added  habitual  and 
earnest  prayer  for  the  young  men  themselves,- and  their  instructors. 
Then  we  may  expect  that  the  end  desired  will  be  attained.  So  long  as 
but  little  is  done,  or  thought  necessary  to  be  done,  to  produce,  among 
those  who  are  designing  to  enter  the  ministry,  an  apostolic  spirit,^ —  a 
holy  self-consecration  like  that  which  made  Brainerd,  and  the  great 
Edwards,  even,  willing  to  preach  the  gospel  to  poor  Indians  in  the  wil- 
derness, —  so  long  we  shall  lack  the  men  whom  the  present  wants  of  the 
Christian  cause,  and  of  our  own  denomination,  urgently  demand.  We 
can  not  reasonably  expect  to  bring  forward  a  ministry  of  eminent 
spiritual  earnestness,  of  self-sacrificing  and  heroic  zeal  and  energy, 
unless  we  seriously  propose  this,  and  adapt  our  methods  of  trairiing  to 
effect  it 

6.  While  those  who  look  forward  to  the  ministry  are  taught  to  do  it 
in  a  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  the  churches  must  be  made  to  feel,  far  more 
deeply  than  they  have  generally  done  hitherto,  the  necessity  ofajv^t  and 
Uheral  support  of  those  who  are  in  the  work. 

As  the  subject  of  ministerial  support  is  referred  to  anx)ther  committee, 
which  will,  doubtless,  present  it  fully,  we  do  not  propose  to  speak  of  it 
here  at  length.  Yet,  standing,  as  it  does,  in  very  important  relations  to  the 
diflflculties  connected  with  the  work  of  bringing  young  men  into  the  minis- 
try, we  can  not  properly  omit  to  notice  it.  When  we  insist  that  our  young 
men  must  be  ready  to  do  and  to  suffer  anything  for  Christ,  we  do  not  mean 
to  imply  that  ministers  are  under  a  different  law  of  self-consecration,  from 
that  which  binds  the  members  of  the  churches  generally.  If  it  is  their 
duty  cheerfully  to  meet  all  the  trials,  and  even  hardships,  which  are 
necessary,  it  is  the  sacred  duty  of  the  churches  to  see  to  it  that  they  suf- 
fer none  that  are  unnecessary,  —  none  that  an  honest  readiness  to  render 
unto  them  a  due  reward  of  their  labors  would  prevent  It  can  not  be 
doubted,  that  the  want  of  justice  in  the  adequate  support  of  those  who 
serve  at  Christ's  altars  in  word  and  doctrine,  —  a  want  of  justice  often 
so  palpable  that  it  is  seen  and  known  of  all,  —  is  one  of  the  most  power* 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  177 

fol  among  the  causes  which  operate  to  turn  the  most  gifted  young  men 
from  the  ministry  to  other  pursuits.  Is  it  strange,  if  a  young  man  sees, 
that  after  having  spent  ten  years  in  hard  study,  and  expended  three  or 
four  thousand  dollars  for  his  education  and  the  beginning  of  a  library, 
the  churches  will  not,  on  the  average,  pay  him  any  more  salary  than  is 
given  to  a  respectable  clerk  in  a  mercantile  establishment,  he  is  not  able 
to  see  it  to  be  his  duty  to  consent  to  such  ii^justice?  Is  it  strange  that 
he  concludes  that  he  has  the  same  liberty  as  other  men,  to  employ  his 
talents  and  his  acquisitions  in  such  a  way  that  he  may  reap  the  fruits  of 
his  Industry  and  toil?  Say  that  it  would  be  wise  in  him  to  commit  him- 
self to  Christ,  and  leave  the  matter  of  recompense  to  him;  but  this  does 
not  relieve  the  wrong,  on  the  part  of  the  churches,  of  wishing  ministers 
to  serve  them  without  reasonable  compensation;  and,  further,  whea 
young  men  are  called  to  decide  the  question  of  their  future  course,  they 
are  commonly  young  in  Christian  experience,  as  well  as  years.  They 
can  not  be  expected  to  take  such  views  of  the  subject  as  might  be  taken 
by  one  who  had  attained  to  the  highest  life  of  Christian  faith.  It  is  clear 
that  the  members  of  the  churches  must  be  willing  to  share  the  burdens 
and  self-sacrifices  of  the  ministry,  and  must  honestly  and  fairly  do  what 
they  can  to  diminish  these,  if  they  will  have  the  service  of  the  young 
men  whom  God  has  endowed  with  the  choicest  gifts  In  the  pastoral  work. 
They  can  not  expect,  and  ought  not  to  expect,  If  they  are  not  willing  to 
do  this,  that  the  gifted  sons  of  Christian  parents  will  be  eager  to  give 
themselves  to* the  sacred  office. 

7.  Let  us  add,  still  further,  more  systematic  and  faithful  effort  should 
be  made  to  enkindle  in  the  churches^  and  especially  in  the  children  of  tJie 
churches,  a  heartier  love  for  the  simple  worship  and  admirable  polity 
from  which  we  have  derived  such  precious  spiritual  benefits. 

That  there  has  been  great  neglect  among  us  In  respect  to  transmitting 
the  views  and  spirit  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  there  Is  no  need,  we 
suppose,  to  prove.  For  the  last  fifty  years  or  more,  pastors  and  churches, 
colleges  and  theological  seminaries,  appear  to  have  bestowed  very  little 
direct  attention  on  the  matter.  No  provision  has  been  made  in  the  theo- 
logical curriculum  for  thorough  instruction  as  to  the  history,  the  princi- 
ples, and  the  practical  advantages  of  our  church  order.  While  our  simple 
forms  admit  of  being  made  —  all  the  more  from  their  simplicity  —  pleas- 
ing to  a  healthful  taste,  attractive  to  the  heart,  and  solemnly  impressive, 
they  have  been  too  often  made  to  appear  barren  and  uninviting,  by  a 
careless,  slovenly,  and  perfunctory  manner,  In  the  administrations  of 
God's  house.  It  has  seemed  to  be  too  much  forgotten,  in  the  leading  of 
the  praise  and  worship  of  the  public  assembly,  and  in  the  administration 
of  Christian  ordinances,  that  with  these  things  should  always  be  asso- 
ciated a  sacred  comeliness  and  grace,  so  that  it  should  be  felt  by  all,  that, 
as  in  the  days  of  old,  strength  and  beauty  conjoined  were  in  the  sanc- 
tuary. The  result  of  these  things  has  obviously  been  some  degree,  at 
least,  of  decay  of  Interest  in  our  distinguishing  peculiarities,  of  which 
others  have  been,  and  are  now,  ready  to  take  advantage;  and  some  of 
Puritan  descent  have  been  led  to  place  themselves  again  under  the  same 

12 


178  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 

systems  of  ecclesiastical  authority  from  which  it  cost  their  liberty-loving 
ancestors  long  struggles,  and,  in  many  instances,  sufferings  unto  death,  to 
break  away. 

Plainly,  then,  it  is  high  time,  that  a  new  interest  in  this  subject  were 
awakened.  Are  our  ecclesiastical  principles,  as  a  denomination,  true, 
scriptural,  and  of  great  practical  importance?  Were  they  worth  con- 
tending for,  when  for  them  so  many  of  our  venerated  forefathers  wore 
out  their  best  years  in  filthy  prisons,  or  went  to  barbarous  deaths  to  vin- 
dicate them  for  the  sake  of  their  posterity?  Then  are  we  recreant  and 
degenerate,  indeed,  if  we  fail  to  teach  them  to  our  children  from  their 
early  years,  and  to  hold  them  dear  to  our  own  hearts.  While  writing 
these  pages,  it  has  been  stated  to  us  that  it  has  become  a  common  prac- 
tice in  a  section  of  New  England  to  send  to  the  theological  institutions 
of  another  denomination  for  students  to  supply,  during  their  vacations, 
destitute  churches.  We  trust  there  may  be  some  mistake  in  this  singu- 
lar statement;  and  yet  such  an  occurrence  might  not  seem  an  altogether 
improbable  illustration  of  the  indifference  which  has  silently  stolen  over 
us.  Surely  there  is  need  to  revive  the  spirit  of  John  Robinson,  of  Shep- 
ard.  Hooker,  and  Davenport.  We  must  reassert  their  principles.  They 
should  be  inculcated  at  the  fireside.  They  should  be  taught  in  the  pul-  , 
pit.  They  should  be  embodied  in  popular  tracts,  and  sown  all  over  the 
land.  Especially  should  every  theological  institution  have  a  professor- 
ship, or  at  least  a  lectureship,  which  should  thoroughly  discuss  them; 
and  every  theological  student  should  be  required,  as  one  of  the  conditions 
of  licensure  to  show  himself  able  and  willing  to  defend  them.  When 
there  shall  be  such  a  revival  of  the  spirit,  and  such  a  return  to  the  prin- 
ciples, of  the  men  to  whom,  under  God,  we  owe  our  best  religious  bless- 
ings, we  may  expect  to  have  a  ministry  adapted  to  our  wants  as  lovers 
of  the  largest  healthful  religious  freedom. 

8.  Finally:  the  committee  will  only  suggest  further,  that,  in  view  of 
the  existing  and  the  prospective  necessities  of  the  churches,  as  regards 
the  ministry,  it  becomes  an  urgent  duty  to  labor  and  pray  more  earnestly 
for  the  conversion  of  young  men. 

"  Pray  ye  the  Lord  of  tiiie  harvest  that  he  will  send  forth  laborers," 
said  our  blessed  Lord.  Pastors  and  teachers  were  among  the  gifts 
which,  at  his  ascension,  he  received  power  to  bestow  on  men;  and  these, 
like  other  gifts,  are  dispensed  under  the  law  of  prayer.  The  hinderances 
to  piety  in  the  case  of  young  men  are,  at  this  time  and  in  a  country  such 
as  ours,  so  very  great,  that  unless  direct  and  special  effort  is  made  for 
their  early  conversion,  and  that  with  strength  of  faith  and  persistency 
of  prayer  on  their  behalf,  we  can  not  expect  to  see  them  devoting  their 
lives  from  the  outset  unto  God.  It  is  needful  to  call  attention  very  fre- 
quently to  this  matter.  Especially  in  connection  with  the  observance  of 
the  annual  day  of  prayer  for  colleges  should  the  whole  subject  of  the 
early  conversion  of  young  men,  in  all  its  interesting  relations,  be  set 
faithfully  before  the  churches.  Such  a  solicitude  in  respect  to  this  should 
be  kept  alive  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  are  engaged  in  the  instruction  of 
young  men,  as  shall  lead  them  to  propose  it  distinctly  to  themselves,  as 


MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION.  179 

an  essential  part  of  the  best  education  of  the  precious  sons  of  the  church, 
to  win  their  hearts  to  Christ.  Every  thing,  in  a  word,  that  can  be  done, 
should  be  done  diligently  and  bn  system,  to  bring  those  especially  who 
are  pursuing  courses  of  liberal  study  under  the  fuU  influence  of  Chris- 
tian truth.  No  college  oflScer  should  feel  that  he  is  doing  his  whole  duty 
if  he  is  not  striving  to  accomplish  this.  Revivals  of  religion  in  our 
churches  and  our  colleges,  so  deep  and  powerful  in  their  effects  that  far 
greater  numbers  than  have  hitherto  been  reached  may  be  gathered  unto 
God,  should  be  desired  and  sought  with  an  earnestness  that  will  not  be 
denied.  If  the  measure  of  God's  bestowment,  both  in  the  light  of  rea- 
son and  the  Scriptures,  is  seen  to  be  —  according  to  your  faith  be  it  unto 
you  —  there  should  be  a  new  kindling-up  of  holy  confidence  in  Christ, 
the  Head  of  the  church  and  the  dispenser  of  all  grace, — a  new  spirit  of 
intercession  for  the  sending  forth  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  renew  unto 
repentance  and  Christian  life  the  choicest  of  our  sons,  and  a  deeper  and 
more  general  consecration,  on  the  part  of  Christian  parents,  of  their  chil- 
dren to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry.  When  fathers  and  mothers 
plead,  and  the  imited  churches  plead,  and  a  faithful  ministry  plead,  — 
when  the  hearts  of  all  Christ's  servants  are  set  on  the  consecration  of 
the  brightest  jewels  of  their  households  unto  God,  —  we  need  not  doubt 
that  divine  power  will  indeed  work  wonders,  and  that  the  ranks  of  the 
ministry  will  flnd  a  multitude  prepared  to  enter  them.  It  is  not  enough 
that  we  know  this  and  say  it;  in  good  earnest  we  must  act  as  if  oub 
INMOST  HEARTS  BELIEVED  IT.    There  is  uo  need  to  enlarge  on  this. 

CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

The  committee  have  thus  endeavored,  so  far  as  they  were  able,  to  bring 
the  more  important  aspects  of  the  great  subject  referred  to  them  to  the 
notice  of  the  Council.  They  have  not  deemed  it  becoming  in  them  to 
indicate  the  particular  action  to  be  taken  by  this  body.  They  have  sup- 
posed that  this  should  be  left  to  be  determined  by  the  Council  itself,  after 
full  discussion  had.  They  can  not  doubt  that  it  will  seem  to  the  fathers 
and  brethren  here  assembled,  that  such  measures  should  be  adopted  by 
those  representing  the  churches  here,  in  regard  to  a  matter  so  vitally 
connected  with  our  entire  religious  system,  as  will  secure  the  inauguration 
of  a  new  era  in  our  history,  and  lead  speedily  to  the  attainment  of  the 
desired  practical  results.  The  urgency  of  our  need  and  of  the  time  for- 
bids delay,  and  demands  that  something  effectual  be  done.  Whatever 
difficulties  attend  the  subject,  it  calls  us  to  face  them  without  flinching, 
and  prompt^,  as  ministers  and  churches,  to  address  ourselves  to  the 
work  which  God  is  imposing  on  us.  By  some  it  has  been  suggested 
that  a  plan  be  devised  to  induce  each  self-sustaining  church  to  pledge 
itself  to  secure  the  education  of  a  number  of  young  men  at  least  equal  to 
the  number  of  ministers  required  for  its  ovm  supply;  since  any  church 
failing  to  do  so  much  as  this,  in  fact,  enjoys  its  ministry  at  the  expense, 
in  part  or  altogether,  of  other  churches.  Some  have  suggested,  also,  the 
creation  of  a  Bureau  of  Clerical  Education^  at  the  head  of  which  should 
be  placed  one  of  the  wisest,  ablest,  and  most  practical  men  to  be  found 


180  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION'. 

among  our  pastors,  who  should  devote  his  best  and  undivided  energies 
to  the  work  of  stimulating,  enlightening,  and  guiding  the  efforts  of  the 
churches,  and  setting  forward,  in  all  practicable  ways,  and  throughout 
the  whole  country,  the  momentous  work  that  is  needful  to  be  done.  The 
Society  for  the  promotion  of  Collegiate  Education  at  the  West  has  con- 
tributed largely,  by  its  wise  and  efficient  action,  to  the  supply  of  an  edu- 
cated ministry  in  that  vast  opening  region,  where  the  present  and  pro- 
spective need  is  greatest.  To  that  society,  vigorously  sustained,  we  must 
look  for  yet  greater  results  in  the  era  that  now  opens.  It  may  be  pos- 
sible for  the  Council  to  give  some  new  impulse  to  the  action  of  this  noble 
society.  The  committee  may,  perhaps,  offer  a  brief  supplementary  re- 
port, with  special  reference  to  this.  Other  methods  will,  doubtless,  be 
suggested  by  the  wisdom  of  this  body. 

Let,  then,  the  Council  determine  that  the  things  which,  it  has  been 
seen,  we  are  as  churches  called  to  do,  shall  resolutely  be  done.  Let 
them  indicate  the  course  to  be  pursued,  and  take  the  initiative  at  once. 
Kot  a  day  is  to  be  lost.  We  are  like  men  standing  on  the  shore  when 
the  flood-tide  is  sweeping  in;  we  must  move  forward,  or  be  overwhelmed. 
The  well-being  of  our  churches  is  waiting  on  us.  The  cause  of  true  relig- 
ion in  oiir  land  is  waiting  on  us.  The  salvation  of  our  country,  which 
the  blessed  gospel  alone  can  save,  is  waiting  on  us.  The  providence  of 
God  itself  is  waiting  on  us.  Here,  for  a  century  to  come,  and  much 
longer,  it  may  be,  must  be  waged,  between  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and 
that  of  the  prince  of  darkness,  a  mighty  moral  conflict  which  shall  be  as 
the  great  battle  of  Armageddon,  and  will  involve  results  which  our 
thought  endeavors  in  vain  to  grasp.  If,  in  past  years,  our  hearts  have 
been  stirred  at  the  consideration  of  the  work  which  we  saw  before  us 
and  our  children,  much  more  should  we  now  be  aroused  to  comprehend 
the  greatness,  the  sublimity,  of  the  coming  struggle,  and  to  address  our- 
selves to  it  with  manly  earnestness  and  in  the  strength  of  God.  Let  our 
faith  be  flrm,  that  he  who  hath  carried  us  successfully  through  the  perils, 
blood,  and  tears  of  the  stupendous  war  just  closed,  —  who  has  placed 
four  millions  of  freedmen  within  the  reach  of  Christian  influence,  —  who 
has  caused  our  glorious  flag  —  more  glorious  now  than  ever  —  to  float 
peacefully  over  the  whole  land,  so  that  every  part  is  open  to  the  gospel,  — 
will  crown  with  his  abundant  blessing  the  eflbrts  of  his  servants  to  make 
Christianity  here  triumphant,  to  the  exaltation  and  happiness  of  this 
great  people.  If  now  we  show  ourselves  equal  to  the  crisis,  our  coun- 
try, powerful,  regenerate,  and  free,  shall  also  stand,  for  coming  ages, 
illustrious,  among  the  nations,  as  the  home  of  intelligence,  vir- 
tue, AND  RELIGION. 

Kay  Palmer,  ^ 

Franklin  W.  Fisk,  >  Committee. 
John  P.  Gulliver,  i 


At  twelve  o'clock,  the  reading  of  the  above  paper  was  sus- 
pended, for  the  purpose  of  calling  the  roll,  which  was  read  over 
and  corrected. 


FAFEBS   REFEBRED.  181 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts,  read  a  list  of  persons  to  offi- 
ciate in  religious  services  to-morrow,  in  various  Congregational 
churches  in  Boston  and  vicinity.  ' 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  for  the  Business  Committee, 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  by  this  Coimcil,  to 
consider  the  subject  of  securing,  for  the  permanent  use  of  our  denomina- 
tion, a  house  of  worship  in  the  City  of  Washington ;  and,  if  they  deem  it 
expedient  for  the  churches  of  our  order  to  engage  in  such  a  movement, 
that  the  said  committee  be  requested  to  report  to  this  Council  a  plan  for 
its  accomplishment. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  from  the  committee  on  Nominations, 
reported  the  following  members,  as  the  committee  on  the  above 
subject :  — 

Henry  C.  Bo  wen,  of  New  York;  Dea.  Charles  Stoddard,  of  Massachu- 
setts; Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  D.  n.,  of  Connecticut;  Hon.  Douglas  Put- 
nam, of  Ohio;  Hon.  Samuel  C.  Fomeroy,  of  Kansas. 

The  report  was  adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  Business  Committee,  reported  the 
following  papers,  with  recommendation  of  reference,  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

Papers  regarding  Lincoln  College,  presented  by  Hon.  Mr.  Pomeroy: 
to  be  referred  to  a  special  committee  on  coUegiate  education,  hereafter  to 
be  appointed. 

Memorial  respecting  civil  government  as  an  ordinance  of  Grod:  to-be 
referred  to  the  committee  on  the  state  of  the  country. 

Resolution  respecting  the  declaration  of  faith,  and  the  propriety  of 
having  a  catechism:  to  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  the  Declaration 
of  Faith. 

Commimication  respecting  temperance:  to  be  referred  to  a  special 
committee  on  temperance,  hereafter  to  be  appointed. 

Papers  presented  by  Rev.  Dr.  Post,  in  regard  to  the  church  in  Utah: 
to  be  referred  to  the  committee  on  Evangelization  in  the  West  and 
South. 

Communication  prepared  by  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Clark,  respecting  an  Ameri- 
can Protestant  Assembly:  to  be  referred  to  a  specitd  conmiittee  upon 
that  subject,  hereafter  to  be  appointed. 

Communication  from  California:  to  be  referred  to  the  conmiittee  on 
Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South. 

The  reconunendations  were  adopted. 


182  MEETING   AT   CHARLESTOWN.  ' 

It  was  also 

Vpted,  That  a  special  committee  be  appointed,  who  shall  consider  and 
report  to  this  Coimcil,  what  deliverance,  if  any,  it  ought  to  make  on  the 
subject  of  temperance. 

CHURCH  POLITY. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  of  the  committee  on  Nominations,  re- 
ported the  name  of  Rev.  Enoch  F.  Burr,  of  Connecticut,  as  an 
additional  member  of  the  committee  on  church  polity. 

The  report  was  adopted. 

The  convention  then  adjourned,  under  the  previous  order,  to 
meet  at  Charlestown,.at  three  o'clock,  p.  M.,  in  the  First  Congre- 
gational Church. 

AFTERNOON  SESSION. 

In  accordance  with  the  vote  of  the  Council  yesterday  the 
afternoon  session  was  held  in  the  First  Church,  Charlestown,  to 
comply  with  the  recommendation  of  the  preliminary  meeting 
of  state  committees,  that  a  special  service  of  devotion  be  held, 
"  for  the  acknowledgment  of  the  marvelous  and  merciful  deal- 
ings of  Almighty  God  with  the  nation,  in  connection  with  the 
war." 

The  chair  was  taken  at  three  o'clock  by  Rev.  Dr.  Thompson, 
of  New  York,  assistant  moderator,  who  said :  — 

The  hour  has  arrived  to  which  the  Council  adjourned  to  meet  in  this 
place.  In  the  absence  of  Gov.  Buckingham,  who  has  been  called  to  Con- 
necticut, and  of  CoL  Hammond,  who  is  elsewhere  engaged,  it  devolves 
upon  me  to  take  the  chair,  though  the  general  direction  of  the  meeting 
will  be  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Adams,  in  behalf  of  the  committee  on  devo- 
tional exercises.  The  Council  will  remember  that  we  are  now  con- 
vened'under  a  special  order  for  "A  service  of  devdtion  for  the  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  marvelous  and  merciful  dealings  of  Almighty 
God  with  the  nation,  in  connection  with  the  war,  an^  for  supplicating  a 
gracious  dispensation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  land,  that  our 
restored  national  unity  may  be  consecrated  in  righteousness,  and  in  the 
peAce  and  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost"  Let  us  hear,  then,  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  as  it  is  written  in  the  105th  Psalm. 

The  20th  Psalm  was  also  read,  and  a  portion  of  the  12th 
chapter  of  Revelation. 


MEETING   AT   CHAKLESTOWK.  188 

The  1115th  hymn  was  then  sung,  commencing, —    , 

"  Oh,  God,  beneath  thj  guiding  hand, 
Our  exiled  fathers  crossed  the  sea, 
And  when  thej  trod  the  wintry  strand, 

With  prayer  and  psalm  they  worshiped  thee." 

Rev.  Dr.  Adams,  of  Maine.  AlS  Dr.  Thompson  has  remarked  that, 
after  the  introductory  exercises,  the  general  direction  of  the  meeting 
will  be  left  with  myself,  acting  in  behalf  of  the  committee  on  devo- 
tional exercises,  I  will  now  fulfill  my  vocation,  and  give  this  direction  to 
the  meeting:  it  is  left  to  itself..  No  provision,  so  far  as  I  know,  has  been 
made  for  particular  persons  to  speak.  It  is,  as  I  understand  it,  a  meeting 
for  the  free  and  spontaneous  utterance  of  exultation  one  to  another,  and 
of  desire  in  prayer  to  God;  and  the  hope  is,  that  the  short  time  that  we 
may  spend  together  will  be  occupied,  in  very  small  portions,  by  a  great 
number  of  individuals.    Will  Dr.  Edward  Beecher  lead  in  prayer  ? 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois.  I  wish  to  say  one  word  before  we 
unite  in  prayer.  It  is  desirable  that  our  devotions  be  not  formal,  but 
that  they  may  be  the  simple  expressions  of  the  feelings  of  the  heart  I 
presume  there  is  no  brother  here  who  can  not,  in  going  back  through  the 
war,  recall  meetings  in  which,  with  his  Congregational  brethren,  the  bur- 
den of  the  nation  was  upon  his  soul.  I  recollect  a  meeting  in  Burling- 
ton, when  the  General  Association  of  Iowa  had  appointed  an  hour  for 
prayer.  I  was  struck  with  the  deep  current  of  feeling  there.  It  was 
like  that  expression  which  you  will  find  in  Romans,  —  "  We  know  not 
what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought,  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  inter- 
cession for  us  with  groanings  which  can  not  be  uttered."  Our  armies 
were  then  around  Vicksburg,  and  soldiers  from  all  the  churches  scattered 
around  through  that  whole  country  were  at  that  time  engaged  in  deadly 
conflict,  and  we  knew  not  what  we  should  hear  next.  Who  can  tell  what 
a  depth  of  feeling  there  was  then?  —  what  a  movement  of  the  Holy  Ghost? 

Now,  brethren,  who  of  us  is  there  who  can  go  back  during  the  time 
of  the  war  and  not  remember  some  such  scenes?  Remember  what  bur- 
dens the  providence  of  God  laid  upon  us  ;  remember  with  what  intense 
anxiety  we  looked  into  the  future,  and  remember  what  tides  of  emotion 
flowed  through  our  souls;  take  your  stand-point  there,  and  think  how 
we  felt,  how  we  prayed,  how  we  wrestled,  how  we  desired,  how  we 
longed,  and  with  that  state  of  feeling  compare  what  we  are  now  and 
where  we  are  I  Oh,  what  expressions  of  gratitude  there  ought  to  be! 
How  our  hearts  should  overflow  I  There  is  no  language  that  can  ex- 
press what  God  hath  done  for  us.  So  high,  so  deep,  so  long,  so  broad,  so 
great  are  his  mercies,  that  words  can  not  utter  them. 

Take  one  other  instance:  our  feelings  at  the  time  of  the  election. 
When,  all  over  this  land,  we  felt  that  it  was  possible  the  control  of  the 
interests  of  this  nation  might  pass  into  <he  hands  of  such  men  as  made 
the  Chicago  platform,  that  such  a  man  as  Yallandigham  might  be  ap- 
pointed minister  of  war,  —  then  the  voice  of  prayer  went  up  from  the 
church  of  God;  and  I  believe  that  that  election  was  as  much  controlled 


184  MEETING    AT   CHARLE8T0WN. 

by  prayer  aa  any  revival  of  religion  ever  was,  —  that  there  was  as  mani- 
fest an  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  this  nation.  Let  us  go 
back  and  think  with  what  deep  emotions  the  triumph  which  we  then 
achieved,  in  the  providence  of  God,  was  received.  How  it  filled  our 
thoughts  I  We  have  become  somewhat  used  to  these  things;  but  let  ua 
refresh  the  recollection  in  our  minds,  and  wake  up  our  souls  to  utterance, 
that  the  voice  of  prayer  and  praise  and  thanksgiving  may  go  up  to  God 
as  the  real  expression  of  the  Congregational  body.  And,  without  in- 
-.tending  to  flatter,  but  simply  intending  to  speak  the  truth,  those  who 
.  /have  lived  in  the  Mississippi  valley  know,  that  with  regard  to  this  great 
movement  of  loyalty,  that  with  regard  to  the  great  principles  that  have 
been  brought  up  and  impressed  upon  the  government,  the  voice  of  our 
associations  and  the  voice  of  our  churches  have  always  been  in  advance; 
that  they  have  held  up  that  principle,  which  has  been  carried  out;  and 
we  ought  to  thank  God  that  there  is  a  record  in  regard  to  the  position 
of  our  churches  on  these  great  questions,  as  they  have  come  up,  which  we 
are  not  ashamed  to  read  to-day.  And  let  us  thank  God  that  the  spirit 
of  his  Christ  has  been  upon  us,  to  enable  us,  in  this  hour,  to  be  faithful 
to  our  G<xi  and  to  our  country.    Let  us  pray. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  prayer,  Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  Massachu- 
setts, addressed  the  assembly.    He  said :  — 

I  have  a  claim  to  a  moment  of  the  time  of  my  brethren,  which  per- 
haps no  other  brother  here  has.  When  I  came  in  at  the  door  this 
afternoon,  I  found  myself  coming  nearer  and  nearer  the  pulpit;  and 
when  I  say  that,  in  my  boyhood,  if  I  ever  knew  any  thing  about  the 
religion  of  Christ  and  the  mercy  of  the  Redeemer,  I  learned  it  here;  that 
on  this  spot  I  consecrated  myself  publicly,  by  uniting  with  this  ancient 
church,  and  on  this  spot  devoted  myself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  if 
the  Master  would  accept  me,  you  will  understand  why  I  did  so.  My 
memory  goes  back  to  the  time  when  Jeremiah  Eyarts  walked  these  aLsles 
as  one  of  the  deacons  of  this  church,  and  to  the  time  when,  later,  ProL 
Morse,  the  inventor  of  the  telegraph,  and  his  family  were  baptized.  I  re- 
call the  image  of  old  Dea.  Miller,  whom  President  Monroe,  when  he  came 
on  to  visit  us,  took  with  him  as  a  guide,  to  tell  him  all  about  the  battle ;  and 
in  the  course  of  his  investigations,  he  said,  "  What  about  that,  Mr.  Mil- 
ler? " — "  What  about  that?  "  —  and  "  What  about  this?  "  "  Well,"  said 
the  deacon,  '*  Mr.  President,  I  feel  a  little  ashamed,  that  I  can  not  tell 
you  more,  but  the  fact  is,  I  was  very  busy  on  the  day  of  Bunker  Hill." 
[Laughter.]  We  have  been  so  busy  that  we  have  hardly  kept  sight  of 
the  influences  that  have  gone  forth  from  this  spot,  this  old  mother  of  us 
all.  Just  before  this  church  was  organized,  just  before  our  fathers  came 
here,  there  was  a  colony  planted  on  the  James  River,  and  another  col- 
ony here  on  the  banks  of  the  Charles  River,  that  we  have  just  crossed,  — 
the  principles  of  the  two  colonies  differing  entirely.  The  one  sought  to 
make  the  gospel  free  to  all, — to  build  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  comer-stone, —  to  make 


MEETING   AT   CHARLESTOWN.  186 

labor  honorable  to  every  man,  and  to  establish  the  principle,  that  if  any 
man  would  not  work,  neither  should  he  eat.  The  other  colony  was 
planted  on  the  principle,  that  if  any  man  would  eat,  another  should  work 
for  him  and  earn  his  bread.  The  principles  of  these  two  colonies  have 
been  in  conflict  from  that  day  to  this.  They  have  struggled  whenever 
and  wherever  they  have  met,  and  the  result  has  been,  as  you  know,  dear 
brethren,  that  there  was  no  end  to  the  conflict,  until  at  last  we  met  upon 
the  battle-field.  The  sons  of  New  England  here  and  throughout  all  the 
West  accepted  the  issue,  and  we  are  met  together  this  afternoon  to  con- 
gratulate ourselves  and  to  thank  God  that  the  principles  of  the  Charles 
River  colony,  the  principles  of  the  Puritan  fathers,  the  principles  of  this 
ancient  church,  have  prevailed,  and  the  land  is  free  —  is  puritanized,  or 
will  be  puritanized,  from  one  end  to  the  other. 

Our  errand  here  is  to  meet  before  God;  and  no  more  suitable  place 
could  be  selected  than  this  sanctuary,  where  there  has  been  much  prayer 
off*ered,  —  from  whence  many  noble  saints  have  gone,  whose  influence,  I 
hope  and  believe,  has  but  just  begun.  Here,  feeling  that  we  can  almost 
feel  the  warm  breath  of  our  fathers,  —  we  meet  to  rejoice,  to  thank  God, 
to  take  courage,  and  to  go  forth,  dear  brethren,  feeling  that  we  and  our 
churches  and  our  church  polity  and  our  nation  now  are  joined  to  the 
plans  of  the  great  Redeemer;  and  wherever  his  chariot-wheels  shaU  go, 
we  shall  be  near  them. 

Rev.  James  B.  Miles,  pastor  of  the  church,  was  then  intro- 
duced.   He  said :  — 

Mr,  Moderator^  and  Fathers  and  Brethren  of  this  Congregational 
Council:  —  The  committee  of  arrangements  thought  it  fitting  that  the 
pastor  of  this  church  should  say  a  word  of  welcome  to  the  fathers  and 
brothers  who  come  up  to  this  ancient  shrine  of  liberty  and  of  religion 
this  afternoon.  I  might  well  shrink  from  the  thought  of  occupying  a 
single  moment  of  the  exceedingly  precious  time  of  this  Congregational 
Council;  but,  fathers  and  brethren,  if  you  will  allow  me  a  few  moments 
at  this  time,  you  may  feel  assured  that  I  shall  not  again,  during  the  ses- 
sion of  the  Council,  trespass  upon  your  patience,  unless  I  shall  discover 
that  you  are  in  danger  of  departing  from  the  soundness  of  the  faith  and 
from  the  order  of  the  fathers.  If,  at  any  moment,  I  shall  discover  that, 
I  shall  feel  bound,  as  one  in  the  regular  apostolic  succession,  to  rise,  and 
protest  against  any  defection  from  the  "  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints," 
or  any  departure  from  the  order  of  the  primitive  churches  of  New  Eng- 
land. 

I  am  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  the  inadequacy  of  any  words  that  I  can 
command,  upon  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  to  express  the  delight  of 
thene  Christian  men  and  women,  the  members  of  this  old  church  in 
Charlestown,  on  welcoming  you  to  our  church  edifice  this  afternoon. 
In  the  name  of  all  these  devoted  men  and  women,  I  welcome  you  to  this 
hallowed  spot  at  this  hour.    Yea,  in  the  name  of  all  the  churches  in  the 


186  MEETING   AT   CHAKLESTQWN. 

immediate  neighborhood  of  this  city  of  Charlestown,  who  have  honcred 
me  by  sending  me  as  their  delegate  to  this  Council,  I  welcome  you  to 
Harvard  Hill,  this  afternoon.  Yea,  in  the  name  of  the  sons  of  Bunker 
Hill,  without  distinction  of  sect,  who  are  here,  crowding  these  galleries 
and  the  side-slips  of  the  church,  I  welcome  you  to  this  renowned  historic 
city.  For,  fathers  and  brethren,  these  Christian  men  and  women,  these 
eons  of  Bunker  Hill,  have  already,  over  in  the  city  of  Boston,  felt  the 
spell  of  your  fervid  eloquence;  they  have  heard  the  expressions  of  your 
devoted  love  of  country;  and  they  have  heard  those  eloquent,  those 
warm  words  of  salutation,  and  those  expressions  of  love  for  Amer- 
ica, that  have  fallen  from  the  lips  of  our  distinguished  and  reverend 
brethren  who  have  come  to  us  from  the  good  old  mother-country,  from 
England,  from  France,  and  from  Canada, —  and  they  welcome  you  all, 
with  hearts  full  of  gladness  and  joy,  to  Bunker  Hill  this  afternoon. 
Would  that  it  were  in  my  power,  Mr.  Moderator,  to  reciprocate,  ade- 
quately, these  expressions  of  fellowship  and  love.  Standing  on  this  hal- 
lowed spot, —  the  most  sacred  spot,  I  believe,  on  this  continent, — I  desire 
to  t€ike  you  by  the  hand,  and  to  extend,  through  you,  to  the  members  of 
this  Council,  to  these  brethren  from  the  regions  beyond  the  Hudson 
Kiver,  who  have  come  to  us  from  the  great  West, — to  these  brethren 
from  Tennessee,  and  from  Maryland,  and  from  Delaware,  and  from  the 
Pacific  Coast,  —  to  these  fathers  and  brethren  who  have  come  to  us  from 
the  mother-country,  from  France,  and  from  Canada,  —  to  all  the  brethren 
who  are  in  this  Council,  I  wish,  through  you,  sir,  to  extend  this  right 
hand  of  Christian  fellowship,  and  to  welcome  you  all,  and  all  the  churches 
you  represent,  to  this  old  home  of  Puritanism,  of  Congregationalism,  and 
of  Republicanism.    [Loud  applause.] 

America's  great  statesman  and  orator,  when  standing  on  Plymouth 
Rock,  said,  "The  genius  of  the  place  awes  and  inspires  us;"  and  we, 
brethren,  may  feel  that  the  genius  of  this  place  awes  and  inspires  us. 
Reminiscences,  I  must  not  speak  of.  They  crowd  into  my  mind,  and  I 
should  occupy  all  the  time  appropriated  to  this  meeting,  were  I  to  enter 
upon  them.  SuflSce  it  to  say,  that,  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  years 
ago,  that  noble  and  sainted  man,  John  Winthrop, —  a  nobler  Christian, 
I  believe,  has  rarely  lived  than  he,  —  and  his  companions,  immediately 
after  landing,  bowed,  in  worship  and  reverence,  before  Almighty  God, 
ti^nder  the  spreading  branches  of  an  oak-tree  that  stood  upon  this  hill; 
and  ever  since  that  hour,  with  the  exception  of  about  three  years,  when 
the  town  was  burned,  at  the  time  of  the  attack  upon  it  by  the  British,  the 
worship  of  Almighty  God  has  been  continued  on  this  spot,  without  inter- 
ruption, and  Christian  men  and  women  have  come  up  hither  to  pay  theii 
vows  to  the  Most  High.  Christ  and  Him  crucified  have  been  preached 
here.  And  let  me  say  to  you,  who  love  our  Congregational  polity,  that 
you  see,  I  believe,  in  the  perpetuity  of  this  church  down  to  the  present 
time,  through  all  the  mutations  of  states  and  empires,  an  illustration  of 
the  nobility,  of  the  sublimity,  of  our  simple  Congregational  church  pol- 
ity. Upon  this  spot  a  pure.  Christian  republic  has  been  maintained, 
from  that  hour  down  to  the  present;  and  though  convulsions  have  shaken 


MEETING    AT   CHARLE8T0WN.  187 

the  nation,  though  the  house  of  worship  in  which  the  Christians  met  was 
burned,  yet  the  bush  was  not  consumed.  The  members  of  the  church 
were  obhged  to  disperse,  but  the  church  lived,  and  when  it  was  safe  to 
return  to  their  desolate  homes,  thej  came  back  to  this  hill,  and  here,  in 
a  rude  block-house,  erected  by  the  enemy,  they  celebrated  the  dying  love 
of  their  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Down  to  the  present  hour,  without  any  other 
interruption,  the  worship  of  God  has  been  maintained  here.  The  faith- 
fulness of  Almighty  Gk)d,  —  this  church  is  a  monument  of  that;  the  nobil- 
ity, the  sublimity  of  simple  republican  Congregational  church  govern- 
ment, —  this  church  bears  eloquent  testimony  to  that. 

Now,  beloved  fathers  and  brethren,  we  have  come  together  on  this 
spot,  to-day, — on  this  proud,  hjgh  day  for  the  sons  of  Bunker  Hill;  for 
this  is  our  patriotic  and  religious  anniversary.  You  see  the  stars  and 
stripes  floating  from  these  flag-stafis,  —  you  hear  the  strains  of  martial 
music;  it  is  a  proud,  high  day  for  the  sons  of  Bunker  Hill;  and  we  wel- 
come you  with  joy  on  this  day,  praising  and  blessing  Almighty  God, 
that  that  independence  which,  ninety  years  ago,  was  practically  achieved 
by  the  battle  on  the  eminence  yonder,  has  been  maintained,  that  those 
precious  rights  and  privileges  and  institutions  have  been  rescued  and  pre- 
served, and  we  come  together  with  joy,  that  we  may  praise  Almighty 
God,  who  has  wrought  this  great  deliverance  for  us. 

My  friends,  after  a  few  moments,  you  will  be  invited,  by  the  president 
of  the  Bimker  Hill  Monument  Association,  to  look  upon  that  shaft,  which 
uplifts  its  form  in  majesty  on  yonder  eminence;  and  I  beseech  you,  as 
you  look  upon  its  uninscribed  surface,  to  look  intently,  and  see  if  you 
can  not  read  an  inscription  there.  You  may  not  discover  any  at  first; 
but  we,  who  live  beneath  its  shadow,  and  daily  look  upon  it,  in  its  maj- 
esty, and  in  its  simple,  plain  beauty  and  grandeur,  read  many  inscrip- 
tions there;  we  have  read  many  during  the  past  eventful  four  years. 
Sometimes,  when  have  come  to  us  the  sad  tidings  that  our  sons  and  broth- 
ers have  been  slain  by  hundreds  upon  the  battle-field,  and  the  hearts 
of  mothers,  fathers,.'and  brothers,  have  sunk  within  them,  —  then,  through 
our  tears,  we  have  looked  at  that  plain,  but  noble,  shaft,  and  while  we 
have  read  lamentation  and  weeping  and  mourning  inscribed  there,  yet, 
on  looking  a  little  longer,  there  have  come  out,  clear  and  legible,  the  in- 
spiring words,  "Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  forever,  one  and  insepara- 
ble! "  [Applause.]  When  the  hearts  of  strong  men,  failed,  when  rebels 
were  insolent  and  boastful,  when  our  noble  heroes  were  driven  back  upon 
the  battle-field,  and  people  all  about  were  saying,  "  It  may  be,  that  our 
government  must  fall,"  we  have  looked  at  that  noble  shaft,  to  see  if  it 
trembled  or  tottered,  —  but  firm  and  immovable  has  it  stood,  and  its 
language  has  been,  "  Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  forever,  one  and  in- 
separable!" And  when  the  saddest  of  all  tidings  came  to  us  over  the 
wires,  "Abraham  Lincoln,  president  of  the  United  States,  has  been  assas- 
sinated," and  this  whole  community  was  crushed  down,  as  if  by  a  blow 
of  the  Almighty,  we  looked  through  our  fast-streaming  tears,  and  we 
saw  the  same  inscription.  Though  the  shaft  seemed  to  be  clad  in  deep- 
est mourning,  we  could  yet  distinctly  read,  "  Liberty  and  Union,  now 


I 


188  MEETING    AT   CHARLESTOWN. 

and  forever,  one  and  inseparable!"  And  to-day,  as  the  bright  and  glo- 
rious morning  of  peace  dawns,  —  as  our  heroes,  the  sons  of  Bunker  Hill, 
who  have  fought  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the  noble  and  brave  heroes 
of  New  England,  of  the  West,  and  of  all  the  loyal  States,  are  returning 
to  their  homes,  and  we  are  wreathing  their  brows  with  chaplete  of  un- 
dying honor,  —  to-day,  I  say,  as  you  go  up  on  that  eminence,  and  look 
upon  that  shaft,  methinks  you  will  see  this  inscription,  having  taken  upon 
itself  new  luster  and  beauty,  and  shining  with  dazzling  glory,  —  "  Lib- 
erty AND  Union,  now  and  forever,  one  and  inseparable!" 
[Loud  applause.] 

We  are  glad  to  welcome  the  representatives  of  old  Mother  England — 
good  Mother  England.  With  all  her  faults,  we  love  her  still;  and  we 
feel  that  they  need  not  have  any  impleasant  feelings  to-day,  as  they  stand 
upon  that  spot  It  is  true,  that,  ninety  years  ago,  Old  England  and 
Young  America  met  in  dire  and  deadly  conflict  there;  but  it  was  only 
a  misunderstanding  between  mother  and  daughter.  Mother  loved  daugh- 
ter too  well,  and  was  not  willing  that  daughter  should  depart  from  her 
care  and  watchfulness,  and  daughter  felt  that  she  had  reached  the  pe- 
riod of  womanhood,  and  could  be  her  own  mistress.  So  there  was  a 
misunderstanding,  —  a  falling-out,  —  and  daughter  prevailed.  We  will 
not  be  particular  to  say  v^  won  a  great  victory  there,  for  the  champions 
of  the  mother-country  say  it  was  a  defeat  for  us.  We  admit,  it  was  a 
defeat  for  us;  but  we  add,  with  a  great  deal  of  confidence  and  gratifica- 
tion, that  it  was  one  of  those  defeats  which  is  better  than  a  victory ;  and 
the  immortal  Daniel  Webster,  who  stands,  in  enduring  bronze,  in  front 
of  our  State  Capitol  at  this  hour,  said,  ''All  that  is  noble  and  valuable 
in  the  independence  of  America  was  bound  up  in  that  battle  of  Bun- 
ker HilL  When  the  sim  of  that  day  went  down,  the  independence  of 
America  was  decided."  It  was  a  decisive  battle;  but  we  welcome  the 
representatives  of  old  Mother  England  to-day.  We  welcome  the  repre- 
sentatives of  France.  France  !  —  we  speak  her  name  with  joy,  as  we 
think  of  Bunker  Hill;  for  the  illustrious  and  immortal  Gren.  Lafayette,  in 
1825,  on  stepping  upon  that  spot,  said, "  I  feel  a  profound  reverence,  as  I 
tread  upon  this  hallowed  ground."  We  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Gren. 
Lafayette.  We  feel  kindly  toward  France;  we  welcome  her  messengers 
and  representatives  to  Bunker  Hill.  We  welcome  all  to  Bunker  Hill,  — 
to  its  noble  associations. 

But,  dear  brethren  and  fathers,  I  must  not  protract  these  remarks.  1 
will  simply  say,  that,  as  I  look  over  this  congregation,  and  the  thought 
occurs  to  me  of  what  is  represented  here,  —  three  thousand  churches  on 
this  continent,  and  as  many  more  in  other  countries,  —  a  vision  of  glory 
comes  before  my  mind.  You  know,  that  some  of  the  ablest  astronomers 
feel  and  believe  that  there  is  one  central  body  or  point  in  the  system  of 
the  universe,  and  that  all  the  fixed  stars,  and  the  milky  way,  even,  re- 
volve round  that  one  central  point,  receive  their  law  from  it,  and  are 
controlled  by  it  I  say,  it  is  a  grand  and  surpassingly  sublime  concep- 
tion, giving  us  noble  ideas  of  God,  who,  in  wisdom,  has  made  this  uni- 
verse.   But,  as  I  look  over  this  assembly,  and  remember  of  what  it  is 


MEETING    AT   CHARLESTOWN.  189 

composed,  a  sublimer  vision  is  before  my  mind,  —  a  more  tra^ccndent 
and  surpassingly  noble  conception;  and  that  is,  of  individual  Christian 
churches,  of  the  same  faith  and  order  as  this,  —  "one  faith,  one  Lord, 
one  baptism,"  —  scattered  over  our  land,  and,  in  the  progress  of  pure 
Christianity  and  of  republican  principles,  destined  to  prevail  through  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land,  —  all  over  the  South,  as  well  as  New 
England  and  the  West;  and  when  I  think  that,  in  the  progress  of  the 
simple  faith  of  the  New  Testament,  these  churches  are  to  be  established, 
not  only  on  this  great  continent,  but  all  over  the  world,  and  look  upon 
them  as  independent  bodies,  they  seem  to  me  to  be  revolving  about  one 
central  point,  —  one  central  sun,  —  and  that  is,  the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness, —  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  No  sovereignty  but  the  sovereignty  of 
Jesus.  That  central  point  is  not  Pope  Pius  the  Ninth,  nor  any  pope,,  but 
the  Lord  Jesus.  All  stand  upon  the  same  level.  "  One  is  your  Master, 
even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren."  And  my  prayer  is,  that  "  the 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  sent  down  from  heaven,"  may  come  down 
upon  us;  that  Jesus  may  come  down  into  our  hearts;  that  we  may  go 
from  this  place  with  a  new  baptism,  ready  to  labor,  to  spend  and  be 
spent  for  Jesus;  so  that  the  day  may  speedily  come,  when  there  shall 
be  neither  Englishman  nor  American,  neither  Frenchman  nor  Canadian, 
neither  Northern  man  nor  Southern  man,  neither  bond  nor  free,  but 
Christ  shall  be  all  in  all.  May  God  hasten  that  great  and  glorious  con- 
summation, and  honor  us  as  the  instruments  of  its  accomplishment,  and 
praise  shall  be  to  His  name  for  ever  I 

The  lOSSth  hymn  (Sabbath  Hymn  Book)  was  then  sung, 
commencing :  — 

**  Ob,  where  are  kings  and  empires  now, 
Of  old  that  went  and  came  ? 
But  Lord,  thy  church  is  praying  yet, 
A  thousand  years  the  same." 

Rev.  Dr.  Adams,  of  Maine.  I  was  reminded  by  the  first  verse  of  the 
hymn,  as  well  as  by  the  remarks  of  Dr.  Todd,  of  some  reminiscences 
connected  with  this  church.  Dr.  Todd's  claim  to  prominence  here  is 
greater  than  mine  in  one  particular,  for  he  says  he  was  bom  again  on 
this  spot.  Mine  is  greater  than  his  in  another,  for  I  was  here  before  his 
;;|^e.  Nearly  fifty  years  ago,  I  sat  in  this  house  with  my  venerable 
father  and  mother,  who  are  long  since  dead ;  my  fdther's  brothers,  prom- 
inent men  in  this  congregation,  also  long  since  dead;  Jeremiah  Evarts, 
before  he  was  deacon;  Dea.  Miller  and  Dea.  Frothingham,  then  old  men. 
The  Sabbath  school  connected  with  this  church  was  established  mainly  by 
the  concurrent  efforts  of  Jeremiah  Evarts  and  my  own  father.  "We  have 
these  personal  reminiscences,  which  it  is  almost  impertinent  to  mention, 
and  yet  they  mingle  in  well  perhaps  with  those  higher  considerations  to 
which  reference  has  been  made. 

Eev.  Milton  Badger,  d.  d.,  of  New  York,  then  led  in  prayer. 


190  MEETING   AT   CHARLESTOWN. 

The  Moderator.  Although  in  strictness,  the  hour  assigned  for  this 
service  has  expired,  yet,  if  some  brother  from  the  East  or  the  West  will 
speak  in  brief,  earnest  words,  or  will  offer  up  brief,  earnest  prayer,  I  am 
sure  that  another  half  hour  can  be  spent  with  pleasure  and  profit.  You 
have  the  largest  liberty  of  a  Congregational  prayer-meeting. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  of  New  York.  I  can  not  claim  the  right  to 
speak  here,  as  my  friend  and  brother  Dr.  Todd  does,  for  I  am  younger 
than  he  is,  and  have  no  right  to  claim  the  attention  of  this  honored  body; 
and  yet,  as  the  tone  of  remark  hitherto  has  been  in  the  way  of  reminis- 
cence, perhaps  I  shall  be  pardoned  for  expressing  the  feeling  that  per- 
vades my  soul  at  this  moment.  I  think  there  is  no  spot  on  this  continent, 
all  things  considered,  where  a  Congregational  Christian  should  be  more 
deeply  impressed  than  on  this.  Next  to  Plymouth  Rock  in  political 
significance,  this  is  most  important;  and  it  seems  to  me,  that  standing 
where  we  do  to-day,  between  the  heroic  past  and  that  future  for  the 
contemplation  of  which  and  for  the  preparation  for  which  we  are  assem- 
bled in  Council,  it  is  a  solemn  moment.  It  is  now  ninety  years  since  the 
flames  of  war  and  devastation  swept  over  this  devoted  place,  and  the 
steeple  of  this  church  fell  foremost  among  the  dwellings  over  which  it 
had  been  guardian  and  sentinel;  emblem  of  the  fact  that  it  was  the 
Christianity  of  New  England  that  met  the  foe  at  the  outset,  and  emblem 
of  the  fact  that  I  believe  will  characterize  the  history  of  this  country  to 
the  last,  that  with  the  church  of  God  wiU  stand,  and  with  the  church  of 
God  wiU  fall,  this  republic.  [A  voice  — "  It  will  never  fall! "  ]  Never  I 
Half  of  the  republic  has  fallen,  because  the  church  first  apostatized  and 
fell  with  it  We  must  remember  to-day,  that  half  of  this  country  would 
never  have  presented  at  this  hour  a  spectacle  for  men  and  for  angels  such 
as  was  never  given  to  them  before  since  Adam  stood  in  Paradise,  but  for 
the  fact  that  our  brethren  in  the  faith,  ministers  who  ofliciated  at  the 
altars  of  God,  forsook  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  trampled  upon  the  rights 
of  humanity,  and  when  the  hearts  of  their  fellow-citizens  were  rightfully 
shrinking  back  from  the  impending  conflict,  goaded  them  forward,  and 
madly  plunged  them  into  the  abyss  of  ruin.  [Cries  of  "  Shame! 
Shame!"]  Near  my  residence  in  Brooklyn,  the  other  day,  one  of  the 
truth-speaking  ministers  from  Tennessee  rose  up  in  the  General  Assem- 
bly and  said  that,  in  the  view  of  every  loyal  Christian  man  in  East 
Tennessee,  every  minister  of  the  gospel  there  came  before  them  with  the 
blood  of  at  least  twelve  of  their  martyred  sons  staining  their  hands ;  and, 
said  he,  "  It  is  the  unanimous  declaration  of  all  our  people,  never,  never, 
NEVER  will  we  listen  to  the  word  of  God  from  their  lips  again;  never 
shall  our  children  look  up  to  them  as  shepherds  of  the  flock."  [Loud 
applause.] 

Well,  I  recur  to  the  remark  that  I  made:  Brethren,  it  depends  upon 
us,  it  depends  upon  the  Spirit  of  God  in  our  hearts,  it  depends  upon  our 
fellow-Christians  and  the  Spirit  of  God  in  their  hearts,  what  the  church 
in  this  country  is  to  be,  and  I  am  thankful  to  stand  here,  as  I  never  ex- 
pected to  stand,  on  the  spot  of  my  youthful  ordination.  Here,  five  and 
twenty  years  ago,  last  April,  I  received  the  charge  of  this  people,  and 


MEETING    AT   CHARLESTOWN.  191 

for  fifteen  of  those  years  I  ministered  to  them  in  the  name  of  God. 
Here  I  took  up  the  blessed,  the  holy  sacramental  furniture  from  this  table, 

—  fUmiture  which  was  borne  aloft  in  the  hands  of  that  man  of  God 
whose  name  has  been  mentioned  through  the  fire  and  the  storm  of  bul- 
lets in  this  town,  and  then  brought  back  again  with  the  return  of  peace, 

—  bearing,  upon  the  solid  silver,  names  that  are  memorable  alike  in  our 
church  and  in  our  state, —  names  that  take  us  back  to  the  days  of  Win- 
throp,  —  names  that  are  baptized  with  the  blood  and  tears  that  made 
us  a  nation.  I  cun  glad  to  stand  here  with  you,  my  brethren,  for  it 
seems  to  me  that,  standing  on  this  soil,  we  imbibe  something  of  that 
spirit  which  I  believe  in  God  is  the  only  spirit  which  is  to  make  us 
faithful  and  successful  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  hill  is 
consecrated  to  the  memory  of  suflering.  When  our  fathers  came  here 
they  were  called  upon  to  sufler  in  as  large  proportion  as  fell  upon 
their  sons  on  Bunker  Hill,  or  the  more  fatal  fields  of  the  South  and  the 
South-west  They  died  in  laying  the  foundations  of  this  church  and 
this  State,  and  we  are  assembled  to-day  over  their  forgotten  graves. 
John  Harvard,  who  gave  his  name  to  yonder  University,  was  buried 
here,  and  when  that  storm  swept  over  the  town,  it  buried  his  humble 
memorial  so  that  "  no  man  knoweth  unto  this  day  his  place  of  sepul- 
ture." This  town  was  buried  in  the  terrible  struggle  that  gave  birth  to 
the  nation,  and  between  1861  and  1866,  the  sons  of  this  town  have  been 
just  as  prominent  in  the  war  of  redemption,  as  it  may  well  be  called,  as 
their  fathers  were  in  that  war  of  revolution  —  the  war  of  our  birth-pangs. 

My  dear  friends,  we  are  standing  midway  between  the  heroic  past  and 
the  grand  future,  —  a  solemn  tie  of  connection  between  our  dead  Puritan 
fathers  and  the  mighty  hosts  of  God  who,  in  their  intelligent  and  hearty 
reception  of  those  Puritan  principles,  are  to  spread  them  to  the  Pacific 
shores,  and  down  through  all  the  ages  of  time  to  come;  and  I  believe 
that  the  infiuences  of  this  day  are  to  tell  largely  upon  the  faithfulness 
with  which  that  work  is  accomplished. 

President  Andrews,  of  Ohio.  As  you  have  invited  speakers  from 
the  West,  sir,  allow  me  to  say,  that  as  I  heard  this  morning  the  firing  of 
guns  and  crackers,  and  the  ringing  of  bells,  I  asked  my  host  the  mean- 
ing of  it,  and  he  said,  "  It  is  the  17th  of  June; "  and  in  my  simplicity,  I 
said,  "  What  is  the  17th  of  June?"  [Laughter.]  He  told  me  it  was  an 
anniversary.  "  Then,"  said  I,  "  It  is  like  the  7th  of  April."  On  the  7th 
of  April,  1788,  there  landed  upon  the  banks  of  the  Muskingum,  a  colony 
formed  in  Massachusetts,  and  headed  by  an  old  General  of  the  Kevolu- 
tion,  composed  of  revolutionary  oflScers  who  had  lost  their  property  in  the 
war,  and  who  went  to  the  West  to  build  themselves  new  homes.  It  has 
been  my  lot  to  labor  for  twenty-five  years  in  that  Plymouth  of  the  West, 
where  the  first  landing  was  made,  and  my  home  is  the  old  capital  of  the 
North-west  Territory,  where  the  first  Governor  had  his  residence, 
where  the  first  courts  were  held,  and  where  the  first  laws  were  enacted; 
and  this  17th  of  Jime  is  like  the  7th  of  April,  for  we  celebrate  that  day. 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  come  back  to  New  England,  to  meet 
these  brethren,  and  to  feel  that  it  has  been  my  lot,  for  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 


192  MEETING    AT    CHARLESTOWN. 

tnry,  to  endeavor  to  establish,  and  to  carry  out  the  principles  of  "New 
England,  in  a  literary  institution  which  lies  nearer  the  equator  than  any 
other  founded  aft^r  the  New  England  model ;  and  I  rejoice  to  know  that 
the  same  principles,  which  those  brethren  carried  from  this  place,  are 
there  yet;  that  the  descendants  of  those  old  sires  are  there  yet;  that 
there  was  established  the  first  Congregational  church  in  the  West,  and 
that  we  worship  in  an  edifice  that  was  built  at  the  very  beginning  of 
1/  the  century.    It  is  pleasant  for  me  to  reciprocate  these  words  of  kind 
i  feeling,^  and  I  believe  that,  as  the  result  of  this  National  Council,  those 
A  of  us  who  have  come  up  from  the  West  and  from  the  South-west,  — 
who  have  been  laboring  to  establish  these  principles  which  you  love, 
and  this  polity  which  you  revere,  —  will  go  back,  to  labor  more  zeal- 
ously, more  faithfully,  feeling  better  assured,  I  may  say,  of  the  com- 
mendation, of  the  encouragement,  of  the  heartfelt  love  of  our  brethren 
of  New  England,  than  we  have  sometimes  felt. 
f  My  brethren,  I  can  not  forget  that,  thirty  years  ago,  in  Massachusetts, 

^    ^  in  the  same  class-room  with  me,  in  one  of  your  colleges,  there  sat  two 

^  men,  who-  have  made  themselves  men  of  mark.    One  of  them  preached 

that  memorable  sermon  at  New  Orleans,  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  in  1860, 
in  which  he  made  the  declaration,  that  the  mission  of  the  South  was,  to 
conserve  and  extend  slavery;  and  the  other  has  been,  for  two  years,  in 
Toronto,  and  the  evidence  brought  out  on  the  assassination  trial  brings 
in  his  name  in  connection  with  that  detestable  scheme  to  introduce  the 
yellow  fever  into  the  United  States.  These  men,  I  am  thankful  to  be 
able  to  say,  were  not  members  of  our  communion.  Perhaps  they  might 
have  been,  and  perhaps  they  might  have  done  as  they  have  done  if  they 
had  been;  but,  1  thank  God,  they  were  not. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gaylord,  of  Nebraska,  As  the  West  has  been  invited  to  take 
part  in  these  services,  as  well  as  the  East,  I  desire  to  say  a  few  words. 
I  will  take  but  a  moment  or  two  simply  to  say  to  you,  brethren  and 
friends,  that  I  come  from  about  the  center  of  the  United  States,  —  from 
the  banks  of  one  of  those  great  rivers  that  reach  from  north  to  south, 
across  the  entire  country;  and  I  rejoice  to  say  to  you,  that  the  same 
principles  which  were  planted  here  in  the  early  history  of  oui^  country, 
are  being  transplanted,  not  only  across  the  "  Father  of  Waters,"  but  also 
across  the  "Big  Muddy,"  —  for  that  is  the  familiar  name  by  which  the 
Missouri  River  is  known  among  us.  As  we  stand  upon  the  banks  of 
that  river,  there  are  some  suggestive  thoughts  that  rush  upon  our  minds. 
As  we  look  down  to  the  landing,  and  see,  as  we  did  last  year,  the  men 
of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota,  from  Lacrosse,  all  the  way  down  to  St 
Louis,  and  then  up  the  Missouri  River,  a  distance  of  twenty-six  hundred 
miles,  to  Fort  Benton,  at  the  head  of  navigation,  on  their  way  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  we  have  some  little  conception  of  the  vastness  of  our 
great  western  country.  And  then,  as  we  look  ofi"  toward  the  setting  sun, 
away  up  that  valley  of  which  you  have  so  often  heard,  coming  down,  as 
it  does,  for  a  distance  of  more  than  six  hundred  miles,  in  an  almost  east- 
erly direction,  from  the  Rocky  Mountains,  —  a  valley  which  is  the  great 
thoroughfare  of  travel  and  of  commerce  across  the  continent,  and  up 


MEETING   AT   CHARLESTOWIT.  198 

which  the  iron  horse  is  already  preparing  to  go  forth,  bearing  the  civil- 
ization and  the  population  of  this  part  of  the  continent  across  the  Bocky 
Mountains  to  the  Pacific  States,  —  I  say,  when  we  look  out  upon  those 
vast  stretches,  they  open  up  before  the  mind  the  greatness  of  the  work 
which  devolves  upon  the  chur«h,  demanding  her  energies  and  her  activ- 
ity in  this  day  of  miracles  and  of  wonders;  and  we  feel  that  there  is  laid 
to  the  hands  of  the  American  church  a  work  such  as  no  x>eople  and  no 
nation  has  ever  before  been  invited  to  perform.  But  I  will  not  dwell 
upon  this. 

The  Moderatob.  It  has  been  thought  necessary  to  draw  this  meet- 
ing to  a  conclusion  now,  by  singing  the  1111th  hymn. 

This  familiar  hymn,  "  God  bless  our  native  land,"  Ac,  was 
then  simg,  after  which  prayer  was  oflFered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon. 
Rev.  Mr.  Miles  then  said :  — 

You  will  remember  that  a  certain  high  functionary  in  what  was  called 
the  "  Southern  Confederacy,"  once  promised,  with  a  great  deal  of  assur- 
ance, that  he  would  call  the  roll  of  his  slaves  in  the  shadow  of  Bunker 
HilL  I  have  the  pleasure  of  introducing  to  you,  Hon.  Geo.  Washing- 
ton Wabren,  President  of  the  Bunker  HUl  Monument  Association, 
who  will  conduct  you  to  that  spot 

Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts.    Mr.  Toombs  is  not  there,  —  is  he? 

Mr.  Miles.  I  will  say,  that  the  president  of  the  association  and  my- 
self reside  near  that  locality,  and  we  are  not  aware  that  that  promise 
has  been  fulUlled.  We  presume  that  it  has  not;  and  such  are  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  country  to-day,  that  we  have  good  reason  to  believe  it 
never  will  be  ftdfilled.  Men  very  often  promise  what  they  do  not  per- 
form. 

Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  I  trust  we  shall  not  a^'oum  here,  but 
proceed  from  this  place  to  Bunker  Hill,  and  make  our  adjournment  there. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts.    With  the  doxology. 

Hon.  G.  W.  Warren  then  addressed  the  Council,  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

Mr,  Moderator  and  Omtlemen  of  the  Congregational  Council:  —  I  am 
happy  to  do  my  humble  part  in  welcoming  so  honored  a  body  to  these 
interesting  scenes.  You  are  here  assembled,  as  you  have  been  told,  in 
the  house  of  worship  of  the  first  church  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  —  here, 
where  Winthrop  and  his  associates  first  gathered  their  flock  together, 
and  from  whence  they  afterward  went  to  constitute  the  first  church  of 
Boston.  From  this  place,  too,  and  about  forty  years  thereafter,  was 
formed  the  Old  South  Church,  in  Boston,  in  whose  temple  your  conven- 
tion was  organized.  Here  was  the  scene  of  trial,  where  sickness  and 
sufiering,  for  many  a  long  and  dreary  day,  thinned  the  number  of  those 
devoted  pilgrims  who  first  landed  and  formed  a  settlement  upon  the 

13 


194  MEETmO   AT   CHARLESTOWN. 

banks  of  the  Charles.  This  hill,  and  the  fields  below,  were  strewed 
with  the  graves  of  our  forefathers.  They  brought  here  the  two  grand 
principles  which  have  molded  us  into  a  great  and  flourishing  country: 
the  principle  of  the  separation  of  Church  and  State,  and  the  principle  of 
Congregationalism,  —  of  the  independence  of  each  individual  church 
and  society.  These  were  the  principles  which  they  maintained  and 
these  principles  were  the  foundation  of  our  republic.  "-Efic,  Hic,  can- 
dbula  gentia.^^  [Applause.]  You  do  well  to  go  from  here  in  a  body, 
without  adjournment,  to  that  other  mount  of  sacrifice,  which,  no  less 
than  this  hill,  and  in  the  same  spirit  of  devotion,  has  made  Charles- 
town  immortal.  There  you  will  behold  the  monument  erected  by  the 
children  of  those  men  of  the  Revolution  who  staked  their  lives  and  their 
honor  for  the  doctrines  of  the  Declaration  of  American  Independence, 
which  that  battle  ushered  in.  You  will  see,  sir,  in  that  monument,  not 
an  Egyptian  obelisk,  —  not  a  monolith,  hewn  out  of  the  solid  rock,  by 
the  labor  of  an  oppressed  people;  but  you  will  observe  many  massive 
stones,  welded  together  into  one  graceful  shaft,  reminding  you  of  the 
^E  PlurihiJLS  Unum"  and  of  that  conglomerated  body  which  we  love  to 
call  the  people  of  the  United  States  of  America.  [Loud  applause.] 
That  monument  was  erected  by  the  voluntary  efforts  and  subscriptions 
of  the  people  from  every  part  of  the  United  States.  Every  one  of  those 
here  present  has  an  interest  in  it;  and  I  am  glad  that  the  East  and  the 
West  are  come  together  to-day,  to  join  in  heartfelt  and  devout  recogni- 
tion of  the  services  rendered  by  our  fathers  on  that  spot,  and  also  of  the 
heroic  services  rendered  by  our  sons  in  defence  of  the  principles  there 
first  maintained.  [Applause.]  I  trust  you  will  not  complain  of  the 
heat  of  this  day  in  that  visit.  It  was,  sir,  about  this  hour,  and,  as  history 
informs  us,  on  the  hottest  day  of  the  season,  that  the  Battle  of  Bunker 
Hill  was  fought.  And,  more  than  all,  it  was  on  Saturday,  —  this  very 
day  of  the  week,  —  and  ninety  years  ago  to-day,  that  that  memorable 
action  took  place.  [Applause.]  It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  con- 
duct you  to  Bunker  Hill,  from  the  top  of  which  you  will  observe  a  beau- 
tiful panorama,  exhibiting  the  growing  prosperity  of  the  metropolis  and 
its  environs,  and  many  of  our  national  flags  waving  in  the  skies,  on  this 
day  of  triumph,  vying  with  the  many  spires  built  by  a  church-going 
people,  in  grateful  recognition  of  their  dependence  upon  Heaven  for  its 
continued  blessing  upon  our  common  country. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York.  In  the  name  of  the  Council,  I 
cordially  accept  this  courteous  invitation,  and  thank  you,  sir,  for  the 
privilege  of  enjoying  such  heroic  and  memorable  associations.  Indeed, 
it  is  a  special  felicity  that  this  service,  which  was  contemplated  six 
months  ago,  in  our  preliminary  conference,  "  in  special  acknowledgment 
of  the  marvelous  and  merciful  dealings  of  Almighty  God  with  us  as  a 
nation,  in  connection  with  the  war,"  should  have  brought  us  to-day  into 
harmony  with  your  commemorative  anniversary,  on  this  historic  ground. 
We  are  thus  carried  back  through  all  the  period  of  the  ninety  years  since 
that  17th  of  June  when  our  national  independence  was  virtually  pro- 
claimed upon  this  hill.    Indeed,  sir,  in  these  past  four  years,  we  have 


MEETING   AT   CHARLE8T0WN.  195 

been  living  through  all  those  ninety  years,  and  not  only  so,  —  there  have 
been  moments  in  which  we  have  seemed  to  live  through  all  the  cen- 
turies that  are  gone,  —  to  live  over  again  in  our  own  experience  all  that 
was  great  and  heroic  and  memorable  in  the  past,  —  and  to  see  all  that 
was  grand  and  merciful  in  the  illustrative  providence  of  God  repeated 
before  our  eyes.  But  especially  have  we  felt  ourselves  linked  with  the 
heroic  men  who  here  fought  and  died  for  liberty.  We  have  felt  their 
blood  tingling  through  our  veins  and  kindling  our  hearts  in  this  new 
conflict  for  the  life  of  the  nation  and  for  the  rights  of  man.  We  will  go 
with  you  gladly,  sir.  We,  who  are  the  sons  of  Bunker  Hill,  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  principles  of  the  original  foimders  of  Charlestown, 
the  representatives  of  the  principles  of  the  heroic  defenders  of  indepen- 
dence and  nationality  here,  coming  up  from  all  this  broad  land,  —  we  will 
go  with  you  gladly  to  visit  that  spot  where  they  made  the  first  stand  for 
that  independence  which  God  has  honored  and  maintained,  not  only 
against  foreign  foes,  but  against  the  severer  trial  of  internal  rebellion. 
And  as  we  go,  there  will  go  with  us  another  and  a  mightier  host,  —  that 
invisible  host  of  their  followers,  who,  like  them,  not  counting  their  own 
lives  dear  unto  themselves,  were  willing  to  give  up  all  for  the  life  of  the 
nation,  that  God  has  given  us  again  through  them.  We  go  with  that 
invisible  host  to  gather  around  that  silent  finger-post  of  the  heroic  past, 
which  ever  points  upward  to  the  God  of  our  fathers, — the  God  of  their 
children  and  their  children's  children,  from  generation  to  generation. 
[Applause.] 

The  Council  then  formed  in  procession,  and,  escorted  by  the 
President  of  the  Monument  Association,  marched  to  Bunker 
Hill,  where  Mr.  Warren  gave  an  interesting  account  of  the 
events  of  the  ever-memorable  17th  of  June,  1775,  and  pointed 
out  the  various  localities  to  which  special  interest  is  attached 
from  their  connection  with  the  great  battle  of  that  day.  At 
the  close  of  this  explanation,  the  moderator  said :  — 

Brethren  of  the  Council^ — We  are  honored  with  an  invitation  from 
Admiral  Stringham,  who  has  done  good  service  to  the  country  in  its 
time  of  peril,  to  visit  the  Navy  Yard.  It  has  been  suggested,  howevei:, 
that  it  would  be  better  for  us  to  bring  our  session,  as  a  Council,  to  a  close 
on  this  spot;  and  with  renewed  thanks  to  our  kind  friend.  Judge  Warren, 
for  the  instructive  and  interesting  explanation  he  has  given  us  of  its 
memorable  scenes,  and  following  out  the  suggestion  made  in  the  church, 
I  would  request  you  to  unite  in  singing  the  first  stanza  of  the  familiar 
hymn,  "  My  country,  'tis  of  thee,"  &c.,  and  we  will  close  with  the  Dox- 
ology,  in  long  meter. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  singing,  it  was,  on  motion  of  Dea.  • 
Stoddard,  of  Massachusetts,  — 


196  FIFTH    DAT. 

Votedy  That  the  Council  adjourn  to  meet  in  the  Mount  Vernon  Church, 
Boston,  on  Monday  morning,  at  nine  o'clock. 

Bev.  Dr.  Hopkins,  of  Massachusetts,  then  pronounced  the 
benediction. 

FIFTH  DAY,  MONDAY,  JUNE  19. 

In  the  absence  of  the  moderator,  the  meeting  was  called  to 
order  by  Hon.  C.  G.  Hammond,  first  assistant  moderator,  and 
was  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York. 

The  journal  of  yesterday  was  read  by  the  scribe,  and  ap- 
proved. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  resigned  his  place  upon 
the  committee  on  Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South,  and 
his  resignation  was  accepted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  in  behalf  of  the  Business  Commit- 
tee, reported  the  order  of  business  for  the  day.  The  report  was 
adopted. 

Also,  the  following  resolution :  — 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  Declaration  of 
Faith  be  instructed  to  report  to  the  Council  one  or  more  samples  of  a 
creed  for  the  use  of  churches  for  doctrinal  and  not  for  controversial  pur- 
poses, embodying  as  far  as  may  be,  in  the  language  of  the  Scriptures, 
the  leading  doctrines  thereof  as  held  by  all  Congregational  churches. 

On  motion,  the  resolution  was  laid  upon  the  table. 

Rev.  Mr.  Marvin,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  that  the  order  in 
reference  to  filling  vacancies  in  the  Goimcil  be  taken  from  the 
table. 

The  motion  was  not  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  of  New  York,  resumed  and  concluded  the 
reading  of  the  report  on  Ministerial  Education,  contained  in 
yesterday's  proceedings.    Referred  imder  the  rule. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  Massachusetts, 

Resolved,  That  the  Council  render  thanks  to  Rev.  Dr.  Sturtevant  for 
the  sermon  preached  at  the  opening  of  the  Convention,  and  request  a 
copy  for  publication. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  on  behalf  of  the  com- 
mittee on  nominations.  Rev.  Gteorge  Darling,  of  Ohio,  was 
added  to  the  committee  on  the  roll. 


CHUKCH    BUILDING.  ^        f  ^       IgT 


*<•• 


CHUECH  BUILDING.     ^, t,  '-"' 

Rev.  J.  E.  Roy,  of  Illinois,  read  the  following  paper,  which      '/    /  f 
was  then  referred  under  the  rule : —  ■'^" 

The  first  instance  in  this  country  of  aid  m  building  a  meeting-house 
was  that  when  the  Pilgrim  Church  made  its  first  contribution  for  any 
object  outside  of  its  own  wants  to  assist  the  Second  Congregational 
Church  of  America  in  erecting  its  house  of  worship.    The  example  thus 
set  has  been  followed  in  many  individual  cases  since.    But  the  enter-  i 
prise,  as  a  systematic  policy,  was  inaugurated  in  1852,  by  the  Albany// 
Convention.     When,  in  that  assembly,  the  brethren  of  the  East  per-|j 
ceived  the  grace  that  was  given  unto  the  churches  of  the  West  in  the 
inheritance  of  the  Faith  and  Order  of  the  Apostles  and  Puritans,  they 
gave  unto  them  the  right  hands  of  fellowship  ;  and,  as  a  token  of  affec- 
tion, animated  by  the  magnificent  proffer  of  the  mover  of  the  project, 
they  resolved  to  put  into  those  right  hands  the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars to  aid  those  churches  in  the  erection  of  sanctuaries.    Upon  the  same 
Sabbath  day,  imder  an  impulse  of  love,  as  when  of  old  the  people  brought 
more  than  enough  for  the  service  of  the  sanctuary,  this  offering  of  sym- 
pathy produced  an  overplus  of  eleven  thousand  eight  himdred  and  1 1 
ninety-one  dollars.    That  fund  aided  two  hundred  and  thirty  missionary  1 1 
churches  in  building  houses  of  worship. 

So  blessed  were  the  results  of  that  ministration  of  charity,  and  so 
great  was  the  pressure  for  additional  aid  of  this  kind,  that  a  second 
offering  was  called  for  on  Forefathers'  Day  in  1856.  It  was  a  pious 
effort  to  build  a  monument  in  memory  of  the  Pilgrims,  not  in  a  single 
pile  of  elaborate  architecture,  but  in  sanctuaries  that  should  perpetuate 
their  spirit  and  their  principles.  This  effort  resulted  in  a  collection  of  about 
ten  thousand  dollars,  by  which  about  forty  feeble  churches  were  helped  to 
homes.  Conviction  was  now  confirmed  of  the  need  of  some  organic 
method  in  this  business.  Whereupon  the  Congregational  Union,  accord- 
ing to  a  provision  in  its  constitution,  to  wit,  —  "to  promote  plans  of  co- 
operation in  building  meeting-houses  and  parsonages,"  —  assiuned  super- 
intendence of  the  work,  under  the  care  of  its  board  of  trustees  and  of 
its  secretary,  who  has  prosecuted  this  enterprise  with  such  wisdom,  tact, 
and  zeal  as  entitle  him  to  the  grateful  confidence  of  the  supporters  of 
that  institution  and  to  the  affectionate  esteem  of  its  himdreds  of  bene- 
ficiary churches.  Under  these  auspices,  during  the  eight  years  past,  — 
and  those  the  years  of  our  financial  revulsion  and  of  our  all-engrossing  -  ' 
war,  —  the  "Union,"  while  meeting  the  difficulties  and  the  prejudices 
incident  to  its  newness,  has  raised  the  sum  of  sixty-five  thousand  four 
hundred  and  seven  dollars,  and  has  aided  therewith  in  building  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-seven  churches,  an  average  of  twenty  per  year,  while  the 
^  Union  "  is  now  pledged  to  thirty-two  more,  for  which  the  money  is  in 
hand.  Thus  that  which  Vas  originated  in  an  impulse  of  fellowship  has 
been  transferred  into  an  institution;  the  waters  fiowing  from  the  smitten 
rock  are  still  following  our  Christian  IsraeL 


198  CHUKCH    BUILDING. 

In  the  aggregate,  four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  meeting-houses  have 
been  built,  —  an  average  of  thirty-five  per  year,  —  at  an  expense  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-nine  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-eight  dollars. 
But  these  sums  total  convey  no  adequate  conception  of  the  extent  of 
good  accomplished.  To  arrive  at  this,  even  approximately,  we  must 
gain  an  estimate  from  each  church  so  aided,  —  its  necessities  met,  its 
hopes  inspired,  its  influence  and  usefulness  extended.  Some  of  these 
results  may  be  generalized,  as  follows:  — 

I.  This  enterprise  has  secured  the  erection  of  many  houses  of  worship 
which  would  not  otherwise  have  been  built  It  is  astonishing  how  much 
of  stimulus  is  furnished  by  that  sure  amoimt  of  cash.  It  often  starts  the 
work.  Frequently  the  hope  of  aid  is  the  first  thing  presented  to  inspire 
courage  to  rise  up  and  build.  It  furnishes  the  money  for  the  necessary 
articles  of  purchase,  while  much  of  the  material  and  labor  are  subscribed 
in  kind.  JLt  sustains  during  the  tedious  progress  of  the  work;  it  stimu- 
lates to  the  last  grand  efibrt  of  hope  against  hope  to  cover  the  final  gap 
between  present  possibility,  already  twice  or  thrice  exhausted,  and  the 
condition  of  freedom  from  debt.  It  often  saves  a  church  that  would  oth- 
erwise die  out  At  Lincoln,  the  county  seat  of  Logan  county,  Illinois,  a 
town  of  three  thousand  five  himdred  population,  and  named  for  our  late 
beloved  president,  a  Congregational  church  had  lived  four  years  in  a 
small  and  impleasant  halL  Making  no  progress,  the  brethren  began  to 
be  discouraged  and  to  talk  of  disbanding.  "  No,"  said  the  missionary, 
"  toe  must  huild,^^  "Impossible,"  said  they.  Meeting  called;  dishearten- 
ment  complete.  The  "  Union  "  profiers  five  hundred  dollars.  Hope  is 
rallied.  The  -house  is  built  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand  dollars.  Since 
the  dedication,  one  year  ago,  the  membership  and  the  congregation  have 
been  doubled,  and  the  Sabbath  school  trebled.  A  revival  has  brought  in 
twenty  hopeful  converts.  And  the  pastor  writes  me:  "  We  owe  our  con- 
tinued existence  and  prosperity  to-day  to  the  encouragement  the  Con- 
gregational Union  gave  us  m  our  hour  of  need."  This  is  but  a  specimen, 
and  no  imcommon  case.  Of  the  twelve  Congregational  meeting-houses 
built  in  Northern  Illinois  during  the  last  fifteen  months,  all  of  which  but 
one  had  aid  from  the  "  Union,"  eight  were  incited  to  build  by  the  proffered 
help;  —  the  remainder  could  not  have  built  alone  without  incurring  the 
incubus  of  debt  The  agent  of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society 
for  Minnesota,  says:  "I  can  think  of  thirteen  churches,  which  now  have 
houses  of  worship,  that  in  the  first  instance  were  undoubtedly  stimulated 
to  build  by  the  proffer  of  aid.  Without  it,  building  in  each  case  would 
have  been  delayed  longer  than  it  was,  and  in  several  cases  it  would  not 
have  been  accomplished  at  alL"  The  agent  for  Kansas  says:  "But  for 
such  help,  nine  of  these  sixteen  churches,  built  with  aid  from  the  Union, 
would  now  be  incomplete,  probably  not  begim ;  four  would  have  been 
put  off" for  months,  perhaps  for  years;  and  but  three  at  the  utmost  would 
have  been  built  without  aid."  And  these  sixteen  are  all  the  Congrega- 
tional meeting-houses  there  are  in  that  martyr  State.  The  agent  for 
North-western  Wisconsin  says:  "I  am  sure  the  prosperity,  if  not  the 
continued  existence,  of  several  of  our  more  useful  churches  is  largely 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  199 

dne  to  the  fact  that  houses  of  worship  were  secured  soon  after  their 
organization;  while  several  churches  within  my  field,  in  villages  of  con- 
siderable importance,  are  now  threatened  with  extinction  because  they 
are  not  provided  with  places  of  worship  wholly  their  own."  From 
many  years  of  observation,  and  after  consultation  with  other  persons 
well  informed  upon  these  matters,  I  am  confident  that  of  the  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  churches  aided,  one  half  would  now  be  without 
houses  of  worship,  and  one  quarter  would  yet  be  burdened  with  debt  or 
with  unfinished  enterprises,  had  it  not  been  for  such  assistance. 

II.  Church  building  has  been  an  eflacient  auxiliary  of  Home  Missions,  j] 
The  Home  Missionary  Societies  and  the  Congregational  Union  have  to  V 
deal  with  the  same  churches,  the  young  and  the  feeble.  One  is  the  Com- 
missary department;  the  other,  the  Quartermaster's.  All  that  can  be 
said  of  the  influence  of  the  sanctuary  any  where  may  be  said  of  the 
missionary  church,  while  to  it  are  thereby  secured  peculiar  advantages.  . 
In  the  East,  churches  could  get  along  better  without  houses  than  at  the  \ 
West.  Here  the  people  are  assimilated;  there  they  are  heterogeneous, 
and  society  lacks  the  attraction  of  cohesion.  This  want  the  church 
edifice  largely  helps  to  meet.  In  the  rude  community  it  becomes  a  visi- 
ble representative  of  the  gospel.  It  is  a  gamer  of  generated  religious 
influences.  So  important  to  the  children  of  Israel  during  their  period 
of  training  was  the  sanctuary,  that,  through  divine  wisdom,  they  were 
furnished  with  the  traveling  tabernacle.  Many  persons  going  West 
make  it  an  excuse  for  absenting  themselves  from  the  temporary  places 
of  worship  because  there  is  no  church  edifice.  When  a  house  has  been 
secured,  such  in  large  numbers  have  been  brought  under  the  influence 
of  the  gospel.  A  meeting-house  ordinarily  doubles  the  congregation, 
the  pecuniary  resources,  and  the  power  of  the  missionary  church.  It 
lessens  the  amoimt  of  aid  needed;  it  cuts  short  the  period  of  dependence; 
and  often,  at  once,  lifts  it  into  self-support.  Three  such  churches  in  Illi- 
nois, aided  by  the  "  Union  "  in  building,  have  just  dedicated  their  houses 
of  worship,  the  slips  of  which  were  at  once  rented  for  an  amoimt  to 
cover  increased  salaries  and  incidental  expenses,  —  thus  relieving  the 
treasury  of  home  missions,  while  the  excess  over  the  former  income 
came  mainly  from  those  who  had  been  non-supporters.  We  find  that  in 
Illinois  thirteen  missionary  churches,  thus  helped  to  sanctuaries,  soon 
after  dedication,  became  self-supporting;  in  Wisconsin,  twelve;  in  Michi- 
gan, ^kc;  in  Minnesota,  three;  in  Northern  Iowa, ybur;  in  Kansas,  three. 
The  secretary  of  the  "  Union  "  reports  that  to  five  churches  the  sum  of 
one  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  appropriated  to  pay 
"  last  bills  "  on  houses  of  worship,  and  that  each  of  these  at  once  became 
a  self  supporting  and  a  giving  church;  thus  saving  to  the  treasury  of 
home  missions  the  annual  appropriation  of  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
dollars  for  the  support  of  preaching  there.  A  pastor,  now  in  the  East, 
formerly  in  the  West,  writes  to  the  same  secretary:  "I  consider  your 
cause  as  one  of  the  most  important,  as  it  increases  immensely  the  efficiency 
of  the  home  missionary  enterprise."  In  the  June  number  of  the  Home 
Missionary^  a  minister  in  Iowa,  reporting  the  dedication  of  a  house  of 


200  CHURCH   BUILDING. 

worship  after  three  years  of  tugging  and  lifting,  and  referring  to  the 
three  hundred  dollars  secured  from  the  ^^  Union,"  calls  it  ^^the  truest 
helper  to  the  home  missionary  that  could  possibly  be  invented."  The 
actuaries  of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  whose  function  it 
is,  on  their  respective  fields,  to  explore  destitutions,  to  organize  and  to 
nurse  the  yoimg  and  feeble  churches,  who  are  brought  into  pastoral  sym- 
pathy with  the  weakest  flocks,  and  under  whose  eye  all  applications  for 
aid  in  church  building  pass,  are  unanimous  and  enthusiastic  in  their 
appreciation  of  this  enterprise  as  the  right-hand  helper  of  home  missions. 
Their  last  resort,  sometimes,  in  efibrts  to  save  a  church,  is  to  pro]X)se  to 
build,  while  the  first  incentive  they  use  is  the  prospect  of  aid.  They  un- 
derstand that  by  thus  securing  church  edifices  they  are  doing  the  most 
efficient  home  missionary  work,  knowing  that  in  many  such  cases  not  to 
buOd  is  to  die.  The  secretary  of  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Board  of 
Church  Extension,  writes:  "  We  find  that  the  completion  of  a  sanctuary, 
free  from  debt,  almost  uniformly  adds  largely  to  the  congregation,  at 
least,  on  an  average,  doubles  it;  that  revivals  of  religion  are  very  fre- 
quent in  such  churches;  that  ministerial  support  is  largely  increased,  and 
the  period  of  self-sustentation  greatly  hastened,  by  securing  an  unincum- 
bered church." 

in.  The  church-building  enterprise  has  proved  itself  one  of  true  econ- 
omy in  benevolence.  Its  economy  in  saving  the  funds  of  home  missions 
we  have  already  noticed.  Then  by  its  appropriations  usually  seven  times 
as  much  is  developed  by  the  applicant  churches.  It  was  found  that  the 
sixty-one  thousand  eight  himdred  and  ninety-one  dollars  of  the  first  fand 
stimulated  the  raising  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  four  dollars.  At  the  same  average,  the  aid  granted  to  the 
four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  churches  in  all  must  have  called  forth 
six  hundred  and  twenty-six  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-three  dol- 
lars from  the  beneficiaries.  *  Then,  again,  this  method  has  saved  much 
over  the  old  mode  of  self-appointed  agencies  for  particular  churches.  It 
was  truly  said,  in  the  Albany  Convention,  that  such  agents  ordinarily 
received  but  little  more  than  enough  to  pay  their  salaries  and  traveling 
expenses.  The  present  plan  obviates  that  waste.  It  saves  the  annoy- 
ance of  such  random  calls.  It  saves  pastors  the  trouble  of  investigating 
each  case.  It  secures,  by  the  agents  and  committees  on  the  groimd,  a 
more  rigid  scrutiny  into  the  merits  of  each  application,  and  so  saves  un- 
worthy appropriations.  And  then,  as  managed  by  a  Central  Board  of 
Trust,  the  almoner  of  a  sacred  charity,  confidence  is  inspired.  The 
economy  of  this  work  appears  also  from  the  fact  that  the  churches,  thus 
helped  to  homes  and  so  to  self-support,  become  givers.  In  their  state  of 
dependence  they  are  trained  to  systematic  contributions  by  the  Ameri- 
can Home  Missionary  Society  and  the  "  Union,"  —  a  collection  every  year 
for  these  respective  causes  being  the  condition  on  which  aid  is  granted ; 
so  that  this  habit  of  remembering  other  feeble  churches  will  be  likely  to 
abide,  and  so  too  will  every  good  cause  be  made  the  gainer  by  the 
increase  of  the  nimiber  of  giving  churches.  One  church  in  Chicago,  that 
was  aided  by  the  fifty  thousand  dollar  fund,  gave,  the  last  year,  besides 


CHUKCH   BUILDING.  201 

a  generous  support  of  the  gospel,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety- 
nine  dollars  to  objects  of  benevolence,  and  paid  five  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty-two  dollars  on  a  subscription  of  thirty  thousand  dollars 
for  its  permanent  edifice.  Of  the  thirty-two  churches  that  contributed  to 
the  Congregational  Union  in  the  quarter  next  to  the  last,  seven  had  been 
aided  from  the  same  treasury.  The  district  secretary  of  the  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  for  New  England,  after  a  three  months'  recon- 
noissance  at  the  West,  said:  "  It  is  my  profound  conviction  that  rather 
than  sustain  two  missionaries  in  two  towns  for  five  years,  it  were  much 
better  to  sustain  only  one  and  build  for  him  a  good  house  of  worship." 
One,  who  is  acquainted  with  the  Western  churches,  is  greatly  surprised, 
in  reading  over  the  list  of  those  aided  in  building,  to  find  how  many 
that  are  now  prosperous  and  generous,  were  so  recently  recipients  of 
this  Christian  charity.  Only  to  read  in  this  place  the  roll-call  of  the 
churches  thus  helped  out  of  weakness  into  strength,  would  be  at  once  a 
testimony  and  an  argimaent  in  favor  of  the  economy  of  this  policy. 

rV.  A  precious  result  of  aid  in  building  sanctuaries  is  its  influence  in 
promoting  in  them  revivals  of  religion.  The  entrance  upon  such  a  house 
has  often  been  a  signal  for  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit;  and  such 
seasons  of  revival  following  upon  the  dedication  services  have  not  been 
few.  At  the  consecration  of  the  first  church  aided  in  Illinois  by  the 
Albany  fimd,  the  incense  offered  was  that  of  the  first  love  of  several 
new-born  souls,  and  this  was  followed  in  a  few  months  by  a  work  of 
grace  that  added  some  ninety  persons  to  the  company  of  believers. 
Of  the  six  churches  aided  in  Southern  Ohio  by  that  same  fund,  all 
received  a  baptism  of  the  Spirit  soon  after  dedication.  Of  those  aided 
in  Illinois  up  to  the  present  time,  twelve  have  enjoyed  revivals  soon  after 
entering  their  new  houses  of  worship;  in  Wisconsin,  seven;  in  Minne- 
sota, Jive ;  in  Iowa,  fifteen.  Complete  returns  would  show  that  very 
many  of  these  new  church  edifices  have  become  at  once  places  of  spir- 
itual nativity.  It  is  also  noticeable  that  meeting-houses  have  frequently 
been  built  immediately  after  seasons  of  spiritual  refreshing. 

V.  As  a  result  of  the  church-erection  scheme,  it  has  contributed  to  an 
increased  prevalence  of  the  principles  and  polity  of  the  Puritans.  Since 
the  Albany  Convention,  the  number  of  Congregational  churches  in  the 
West,  including  Ohio,  has  increased  from  five  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  to  one  thousand  and  eighty-four,  and  their  membership  from 
twenty-eight  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-nine  to  fifty-nine  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  sixty-eight.  If  we  make  the  increase  of  the  last 
year,  not  yet  reported,  the  same  as  the  year  before,  then  these  churches 
will  have  more  than  doubled  in  number  and  in  membership  since  the 
initiation  of  this  enterprise.  Various  causes  have  contfibuted  to  this 
growth.  One  was  the  natural  force  of  this  free  and  simple  polity;  one 
was  the  anti-slavery  position  of  these  churches;  another  was  the  arous- 
ing, in  some  degree,  of  the  people  of  this  faith  to  the  duty  of  dissem- 
inating the  wisdom  of  the  New  Testament  in  regard  to  the  church 
constitution;  and  not  the  least  of  these  causes  was  the  policy  of  church 
building.    It  is  more  than  a  coincidence  that  tMs  era  of  the  increase  of 


202  CHURCH   BUILDING. 

churches  corresponds  with  the  era  of  systematic  aid  in  erecting  meeting- 
houses.  Churches  that  would  naturally  take  on  the  form  of  autonomy 
have,  by  this  help  in  securing  their  houses,  been  saved  from  yielding  to 
solicitation  to  assume  an  uncongenial  polity  in  order  to  gain  the  needed 
aid  in  building.  Not  a  few  churches  have  been  organized  in  places 
where  a  house  seemed  to  be  a  prime  necessity,  and  where  the  Congrega- 
tional Union  by  its  help  has  secured  the  organization  of  as  many 
churches  in  important  positions.  Take  an  instance.  At  Kokomo, 
Indiana,  a  thrifty  railroad  town,  a  county  seat,  with  a  fine  academy, 
with  a  population  of  two  thousand,  where  was  only  a  Methodist  church 
and  a  Campbellite,  each  with  a  feeble  administration,  another  church 
was  seen  to  be  needed,  —  one  that  should  embody  the  small  Calvinistic 
element  of  four  different  denominations.  And  though  there  was  but  one 
Congregational  family  in  the  place,  and  though  some  who  proposed  to 
come  into  the  organization  had  never  seen  a  Congregational  minister 
before,  yet  it  was  found  that  tliis  mixed  material  could  be  most  readily 
affiliated  under  the  polity  of  the  brotherhood.  But  a  house  of  worship 
was  seen  to  be  a  sine  qua  non,  inasmuch  as  two  other  efforts  by  other 
denominations  had  miscarried  through  a  failure  in  church  building. 
And  so  the  proffer  of  aid  from  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society 
was  accompanied  with  an  assurance  of  help  for  a  house.  Upon  that  a 
church  of  seventeen  members  was  organized,  a  minister  secured,  and 
now  the  sanctuary  is  drawing  toward  completion,  while  the  membership 
has  been  doubled,  and  a  rare  position  of  influence  and  usefulness  attained. 
Without  such  aid,  that  church,  which  has  just  now  entertained  the  Gren- 
eral  Association  of  the  State,  and  whose  pastor  is  a  member  of  this 
Council,  would  not  have  been  brought  into  life. 

VI.  Our  church-building  enterprise  has  imparted  a  stimulus  in  the 
same  direction  to  all  the  other  denominations.  Taking  the  idea  from  the- 
Albany  Convention,  the  New  School  Presbyterians,  in  1853,  raised  a 
church-erection  fund,  which  now  amounts  to  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty-six  dollars,  and  has  aided  two 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  churches.  In  1854  the  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  undertook  to  raise  a  fund  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  but 
has  as  yet  secured  only  thirty-five  thousand  dollars  of  it.  In  1855,  the 
Old  School  Presbyterians,  instead  of  their  committee  of  the  Board  of 
Domestic  Missions,  set  up  a  church-extension  board,  which  calls  for 
annual  collections,  and  has  thus  far  aided  five  hundred  and  sixty-six 
churches,  besides  the  three  hundred  and  eighty-two  assisted  by  the  old 
committee;  while  their  receipts,  the  last  year,  have  been  thirty-eight 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-six  dollars  and  ninety-eight  cents, 
•  and  the  aggregate  of  collections  for  this  object  has  been  three  hundred 
and  twenty  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ten  dollars  and  ninety-three 
cents.  The  Methodists  have  just  set  up  a  church-extension  board  for  the 
same  purpose.  Thus  the  denomination,  nine-tenths  of  whose  charities 
have  been  given  for  undenominational  purposes,  and  not  a  little  of  that 
to  build  up  another  sect,  imparts  to  all  the  others  a  stimulus  in  the  idea 
and  the  plan  of  church  erection.    Not  a  little  of  the  good  done  by  the 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  203 

building  of  these  eleven  or  twelve  hundred  church  edifices  in  other  com- 
munions, is  due  to  the  Albany  scheme.-  Such,  then, — not  to  speak  of  the 
binding  of  the  East  and  the  West  together  by  this  enterprise,  not  to  speak 
of  its  relation  to  patriotism  illustrated  by  the  passage:  ^'He  loveth  our 
nation  and  he  hath  built  us  a  synagogue,"  —  such  are  some  of  the  precious 
fruits  of  this  undertaking.  It  has  helped  hundreds  of  churches  to 
houses;  it  has  been  an  auxiliary  to  home  missions;  it  has  increased 
economy  in  benevolence;  it  has  promoted  revivals  of  religion;  it  has 
disseminated  Puritan  ideas;  it  has  led  other  branches  of  the  church  into 
a  like  work.  How  vast  the  amount  of  good  accomplished  by  the  outlay 
of  so  small  an  amoimt  as  one  himdred  and  forty-nine  thousand  dollars  I 
Such  results  become  in  themselves  a  sufficient  argument  for  the  prose- 
cution of  this  enterprise,  if,  indeed,  there  be  any  thing  more  to  be  done 
in  that  direction.  « 

What,  then,  are  the  present  and  prospective  necessities  in  this  matter? 
"  The  thing  which  has  been  is  that  which  shall  be."  Read  over  the  secre- 
tary's successive  quarterly  reports,  and  while  you  will  be  moved  to  grate- 
ful emotion  in  view  of  the  good  accomplished  by  this  agency,  you  will  also 
be  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  the  vastness  of  the  work  left  undone  sim- 
ply for  want  of  means.  The  statement  of  so  many  applications,  ten, 
fifteen,  twenty,  rejected  for  the  lack  of  fiinds,  becomes  a  painful  recur- 
rence. Nor  are  these  the  same  ever-waiting  supplicants.  Baffied  in 
their  suit  they  retire,  —  some  to  struggle  on  with  adversity,  some  to  die; 
while  others  take  their  place  at  the  suitors'  stand,  only  to  be  kindly  but 
I)eremptorily  dismissed.  Says  one  report:  "But  there  are  twenty-six 
churches  now  urgently  pressing  their  claims  for  small  appropriations, 
with  many  of  which  the  question  is  'to  build  or  to  disband;'"  and 
another:  "Still  back  of  these  are  scores  of  others,  whose  only  hope  of 
success  is  to  be  found  in  our  treasury; "  and  one  of  the  very  latest  says: 
"  From  scores  that  are  waiting  and  longing  for  aid  we  must  hold  back 
until  the  givers  shall  afford  us  the  means  of  aiding  them."  It  certainly 
must  be  a  painful  experience  of  the  gentlemen  who  serve  as  the  trustees 
and  the  secretary  of  this  interest,  to  see  these  successive  bands  of 
Christ's  disciples,  in  which  are  the  elements  of  so  much  blessing,  strug- 
gling for  life  upon  the  waves  of  adversity,  while  they  are  themselves 
powerless  to  respond  to  the  cry  for  help. 

Then  we  find  that  there  are  in  Michigan,  at  the  present  time,  fifty   * 
Congregational  churches  that  have  no  houses  of  worship;  in  Illinois,    , 
forty-four;  in  Wisconsin,  thirty-nine;  in  Minnesota, /or ty;  mloyfB.^ fifty-    ^^ 
eight;  in  Kansas,  sixteen;  and  many  in  other  States,  so  that,  in  all,  as    i 
nearly  as  we  can  ascertain,  there  are  fowr  hundred  of  these  families  of    * 
the  Puritan  sisterhood  without  homes,  all  of  which  need  to  be  brought 
into  the  holy  habitation. 

Then  there  is  no  reason  why  we  may  not  expect  that  in  the  next 
twelve  years,  as  in  the  last,  the  churches  of  this  pattern  will,  at  the 
West,  double  their  number,  raising  it  from  one  thousand  and  eighty-four 
to  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  many  of  which,  in  embryo 
communities,  will  need  aid  in  securing  that  first  of  all  requisites  in  a 


MV 


204  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

• 

new  country,  a  place  to  live  in.  There  will  always  be,  along  our  evei> 
receding  frontier,  a  cordon  of  such  feeble  churches,  the  outposts  of  our 
Christian  civilization,  which  will  appeal  to  our  sympathy.  The  opening 
of  the  Pacific  railway;  the  operation  of  the  homestead  law  and  of  sol- 
diers' warrants;  the  tremendous  stimulus  to  new  settlement  afforded  by 
the  rich  metals  in  all  of  the  central  moimtain  coimtry;  the  flood  of  for- 
eign emigration;  the  manufacturing  interest,  the  seat  of  which  is  work- 
ing westward,  —  all  these  influences  will  tend  to  hasten  the  filling  up  of 
our  intercontinental  empire,  which  must  be  brought  into  allegiance  to 
Christ.  The  extent  of  that  country  yet  to  be  filled  with  living  souls  we 
can  but  little  realize.  The  half-way  place  on  the  parallel  of  New  York 
is  yet  two  hundred  miles  beyond  the  Missouri,  seven  hundred  beyond 
Chicago,  the  gateway  of  the  North-west,  seventeen  hundred  west  of  Bos- 
ton I  The  Territories  upon  the  Rocky  Mountains  are  already  coming  to 
their  majority,  and  asking  of  the  paternal  authority  their  portion  of 
goods.  Unborn  commonwealths  are  yet  to  come  from  that  region  to 
knock  at  the  door  of  our  national  capitol  for  recognition.  The  extent  of 
territory  in  those  oncoming  States  staggers  comprehension.  And  yet 
into  that  region  of  vast  distances  and  possibilities,  the  enterprise  of 
home  missions  is  rapidly  projecting  itself,  following  in  the  path  of  the 
pioneer,  the  miner,  the  soldier.  The  Path-Finder  threw  out  our  glorious 
stars  and  stripes  from  the  loftiest  peak  of  those  Bocky  Mountains;  and 
so  the  home  missionary  has  unfurled  the  banner  of  Jesus  upon  the  same 
Alpine  range;  even  into  the  region  and  shadow  of  death  has  he  borne  it, 
setting  up  the  claim  of  his  King  upon  the  adherents  of  that  system  of 
abomination  which  now  occupies  the  heart  of  the  continent.  All  over 
that  region  churches  of  the  pilgrim  faith  will  be  born,  and  they  must 
have  homes.  Their  Redeemer  is  already  there,  "  waiting  to  find  room." 
And  "  as  the  mother  of  Jesus  looked  up  wistfully  to  the  guest>-chamber 
that  cold  night,  drawing  her  Holy  Thing  to  her  bosom,"  so  will  these 
new-bom  churches  of  Christ  look  longingly  to  our  spacious  and  amply- 
fUmished  sanctuaries  for  hospitality  and  blessing. 

Then,  in  the  older  portions  of  the  missionary  field,  away  from  the 
original  centers  of  population,  away  from  the  railway  stations,  in  the 
isolated  townships  of  well-to-do  farmers,  there  is  yet  a  vast  work  to  be 
done.  Many  new  churches  are  there  to  be  organized  ;  many  new  houses 
of  worship  to  be  built.  If  we  are  to  profit  by  the  exi)erience  of  New 
England,  and  by  its  awakened  interest  in  home  evangelization,  we  must 
forestall  the  "waste  places."  Of  this  kind  of  work  take  an  example: 
A  banker  in  Michigan  City,  Indiana,  goes  out  seven  miles  to  a  neglected 
neighborhood,  cursed  with  a  distillery,  and  starts  a  Sabbath  school.  A 
revival  ensues.  The  distillery  is  turned  into  a  flouring  mill.  A  church 
is  organized,  and  the  superintendent  becomes  the  lay-preacher.  The  old 
school-house  is  enlarged;  a  new  one  is  built,  and  this  is  outgrown  by  the 
congregation  and  the  aspiration  of  the  brotherhood.  A  church  must  be 
built  People  poor;  prospect  poorer.  The  "Union"  proflers  aid.  A 
neat  and  commodious  sanctuary  is  secured;  and,  through  the  "Union," 
a  young  man  in  the     First     Church  of  New  Haven,  Merritt  W. 


CHURCH    BUILDING.  205 

Barnes,  as  a  dying  gift  appropriates  three  hundred  dollars,  his  little  all, 
to  pay  the  last  bills,  —  a  legacy  of  love  commemorated  by  a  tablet  set 
into  the  wall  of  that  house  of  God.  Last  summer,  during  the  vacation 
of  the  Chicago  Seminary,  one  of  the  students,  under  commission  of  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  relieved  the  lay  pastor,  and  in  the 
new  house  was  permitted  to  welcome  nine  persons  into  that  fellowship 
as  the  result  of  a  spiritual  refreshing  in  harvest  time. 

Then  who  can  compute  the  demand  for  aid  in  church  erection  at  the 
South?  The  angel  of  the  Lord  is  now  saying  to  the  Philip  of  our  evan- 
gelism: "Gro  toward  the  South  ....  which  is  desert"  If  we  had  come 
across  this  newly-discovered  missionary  field  in  any  other  part  of  the 
globe,  it  would  thrill  the  heart  of  Christians  to  occupy  it  at  once.  Though 
their  treason,  in  seeking  the  life  of  our  nation,  has  slain  our  sons  and 
brothers,  and  now  our  beloved  President,  yet  thither  we  are  bidden  to 
go  with  the  gospel,  even  as  the  disciples  were  directed  by  their  Lord  to 
begin  at  Jerusalem,  the  very  city  which  had  rejected  and  crucified  him, 
and  even  as  Philip  was  to  carry  the  Evangel  of  Jesus  to  that  same 
Fhilistia  which  had  been  the  perpetual  enemy  of  Israel.  We  are  like- 
wise under  special  obligation  to  propagate  there  that  system  of  church- 
order,  which,  divinely  appointed,  like  Christianity  itself,  is  adapted  to 
man  as  man  in  all  parts  of  the  earth,  —  which  by  its  simple  form  and 
cathoUc  spirit  is  well  fitted  to  unite  and  assimilate  that  disorganized 
material  which,  by  its  affinity  for  freedom  and  its  cleaner  record,  is  suited 
to  thsit  recoil  going  on  at  the  South  in  intelligent  and  conscientious  minds, 
and  which,  in  its  reproduced  style  of  Puritanism,  though  long  r^'ected 
there,  will  be  the  most  hopeful  means  of  rescuing  that  fair  land  from  its 
moral  desolation. 

Now,  then,  the  churches  which,  among  both  the  whites  and  the  blacks, 
are  there  to  e/pring  up  as  by  magic,  must  be  housed.  In  that  disrupted 
society  a  chaste,  comfortable  church  edifice  will  be  a  powerful  attraction. 
Said  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher,  in  the  Albany  Convention:  "If  you  want 
martins  about  your  house  you  must  put  up  a  martin-box."  In  the  South 
there  will  be  special  need  of  using  the  economy  of  church  erection  in 
order  to  take  up  this  great  work  at  its  flood  tide.  Not  as  heretofore  in 
the  gradualness  of  the  opening  of  the  Home  Missionary  field,  now  whole 
States,  to  the  number  of  one  third  of  our  Federal  Union,  already  popu- 
lated and  seething  with  the  antagonistic  influence  of  irreligion,  are  thrown 
upon  our  hands,  and  God  says,  take  these,  reform  them.  Christianize 
them.  In  order  to  meet  this  exigency,  we  shall  need  all  the  attracting, 
sustaining  influence  of  sanctuaries.  When  our  soldiers  went  flrst  into 
the  service,  in  the  abandon  of  heroism,  they  cared  little  for  entrench- 
ments; but,  wiser  by  experience,  they  will  now  work  cheerfully  at  every 
halt  upon  some  simple  breastwork.  The  soldiers  of  Christ  going  South, 
in  order  to  save  all  their  gain  and  to  make  irresistible  their  advance, 
must  have  their  series  of  fortifications.  Neglecting  this,  though  they 
may  gain  important  strategetic  points,  their  safety  and  success  will  be  in 
jeopardy.  At  Hannibal,  Mo.,  the  "  Union  "  has  fortified  one  such  posi- 
tion, which  has  stood  through  the  rebellion  a  rallying  center  for  loyalty, 


/ 


206  CHUKCH   BUILDING. 

has  sent  a  stteam  of  influence  along  the  line  of  railway  that  crosses  the 
State,  and  now  with  its  membership  of  one  hundred,  its  home  Sabbath 
school  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  pupils,  its  mission  school  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  and  its  school  of  four  hundred  colored  people,  is  accom- 
plishing in  that  city  a  vast  deal  of  work  for  Christ  Already  applications 
are  coming  in  from  the  South  for  more  of  such  defenses. 

Such  being  the  demand  for  church  building  at  the  West  and  at  the 
South,  how  grave  must  be  the  consequences  of  neglecting  it  I  Imagine 
this  work  of  the  last  twelve  years  undone,  a  large  proportion  of  these 
four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  missionary  churches  left  without  sanc- 
tuaries, and  some  of  them  dead.  What  apology  could  satisfy  the  Head 
of  the  Church  for  such  dereliction?  Then  imagine  the  four  hundred 
families  in  our  Christian  sisterhood,  yet  without  homes,  deprived  of  all 
prospect  of  aid  from  this  source  in  the  future,  many  of  them  doomed  to 
a  protracted  feebleness,  which  shall  deaden  hope  and  finally  life  itsel£ 
Then  consider  the  hundreds  of  churches  yet  to  spring  up,  many  of  w^hich, 
if  not  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  will  droop  and  bear  but  little 
fruit.  In  the  failure  to  provide  these  garners,  vast  harvests  will  go  into 
the  earth. 

Then,  as  a  consequence  of  neglecting  this  work,  many  of  these  Puritan 
flocks  will  be  driven  into  folds  not  congenial.  It  would  be  a  shame  that 
the  body  of  churches,  which  led  the  way  in  this  scheme  of  benevolence, 
should  fall  behind  in  the  enterprise,  and  actually  turn  its  own  people 
over  to  those  of  other  faith  and  order  for  hospitality.  It  would  be  worse 
than  a  shame,  —  it  would  be  a  crime;  for  "If  any  provide  toot  for  his  own, 
and  specially  for  those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith  and  is 
worse  than  an  infidel."  These  which,  by  lineal  descient  or  by  adoption^ 
are  the  children  of  the  Puritan  family,  have  a  right,  by  all  principles  of 
equity  and  of  grace,  to  look  to  the  parent  for  nurture  and  for  protection. 
The  two  denominations  which  have  learned  to  do  this  work  the  most 
efficiently  are  those  that  would  make  the  most  of  a  draft  upon  the  Con- 
gregational material.  We  honor  those  branches  of  Christ's  people;  we 
wish  them  all  success  in  bringing  their  feeble  churches  into  the  sanctuary. 
But  we  think  that  we  have  a  more  excellent  way;  that  the  people  of  the 
Puritan  faith  can  do  the  most  good  under  the  forms  of  their  own  simple 
polity,  and  that  the  Congregational  swamis  will  do  the  best  in  Congrega- 
tional hives.  We  believe  that,  as  a  miracle  was  wrought  to  convince  the 
apostles  that  the  gospel  was  to  go  beyond  their  own  nationality,  so  now 
God,  by  the  marvelous  revelations  of  war,  is  teaching  us  that  the  same 
gospel  is  to  be  carried  in  the  same  church  order  to  all  parts  of  our  land, 
and  that  the  crossing  of  no  parallels  of  latitude  or  of  longitude  can  justify 
an  exchange  of  that  system  for  any  man-made  establishment.  And  it 
will  be  neither  with  self-satisfaction  nor  with  approval,  human  or  divine, 
that  we  come  to  the  confession,  "  They  made  me  the  keeper  of  the  vine- 
yards, but  mine  own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept." 

It  is  a  favor  of  Providence  that  we  have  in  the  Congregational  Union 
an  organ  of  this  enterprise,  well-manned,  skilled  by  experience,  settled 
in  its  policies,  and  so,  prepared  for  the  crisis.    Though  its  work  is  ger- 


CHURCH    BUILDING.  207 

mane  to  that  of  the  Home  Missionary  Societies,  yet  a  wise  division  of 
the  labor,  which  has  an  appalling  magnitude,  the  certainty  of  raising 
more  funds  by  a  double  appeal,  and  the  mutual  helpfulness  of  the  two 
departments,  will  make  it  wise  to  continue  the  present  arrangement.  All 
the  other  denominations  but  one  give  to  this  cause  a  separate  organ,  and 
one  of  these  changed  to  a  double  acting  machinery  after  having  tried  the 
single.  The  established  principle  of  annual  collections  has,  over  an 
invested  fund,  the  advantage  of  keeping  the  cause  fresh  in  the  thougtt 
and  sympathy  of  the  churches,  and  of  avoiding  the  risks  of  an  accumu- 
lated capital,  while,  under  the  present  demands  upon  benevolence,  the 
raising  of  any  competent  endowment  would  seem  to  be  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. As  to  the  amount  that  will  be  needed  for  church  building,  year 
by  year,  it  will  not  do  to  put  the  estimate  at  any  thing  less  than  fifty 
thousand  dollars. 

But  how  can  the  treasury  be  kept  in  a  condition  equal  to  this  draft? 
"We  believe  that  all  that  will  be  needed  will  be  to  aflbrd  every  congrega- 
tion in  our  fellowship  the  opportunity  of  making  an  annual  oflering  to 
this  cause,  and  that,  in  order  to  this,  every  church  place  this  object  upon 
its  calendar.  During  the  last  reported  year,  only  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
five,  or  one  in  eighteen,  of  the  Congregational  churches  contributed  to  this 
object.  The  secret  of  the  success  of  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church 
Extension  Board  seems  to  have  been  in  getting  collections  from  a  large 
number  of  churches.  During  the  last  year,  seven  hundred  and  fifty-one 
church-contributions  were  acknowledged;  and  these,  if  we  leave  out  the 
gifts  of  two  congregations  in  New  York  City,  averaged  only  seventeen 
dollars  and  sixty-seven  cents,  while  four  hundred  and  nine  of  the  churches 
gave  but  ten  dollars  and  under.  If  but  one  half  of  the  Congregational 
churches  would  simply  "  go  through  with  the  motions  "  of  a  collection 
for  this  cause,  the  treasury  would  not  labor.  But  if,  as  one  of  the  latest 
applicants,  the  Congregational  Union  can  scarcely  find  room  in  the 
calendar,  then  it  may  be  well  for  this  Council  to  advise  the  churches  to 
make  a  place  for  this  feeder  of  all  the  other  charities.  In  the  plans  recom- 
mended by  the  General  Associations  of  Ohio,  Michigan,  Illinois,  and 
Wisconsin,  this  cause  has  its  specific  month;  the  system  is  growing  in 
favor,  and  this  object  meets  with  a  peculiar  appreciation.  Indeed,  it 
should  be  said  for  the  encouragement  of  Eastern  friends,  who  have  given 
80  freely  to  the  West,  that  the  seed  thus  so^vn  is  now  coming  to  the 
harvest.  A  generous  spirit  is  growing  up  in  those  Western  churches, 
which  will  join  the  East  in  liberal  giving  for  the  New  West  and  the 
South.  That  stream  of  New  England  theology  and  of  Puritan  ideas, 
which  has  been  poured  across  the  West,  has  given  character  to  its  msti- 
tutions,  and  has  thus  magnified  its  power  for  good,  as  now  the  swelling 
current  shall  sweep  down  to  the  Gulf.  And  if  the  parental  household, 
by  the  exhausting  of  itself  for  the  welfare  of  its  emigrating  offspring, 
shall  ever  come  to  the  need  of  succor,  then  with  grateful,  loving  attention 
will  the  children,  natural  and  adopted,  delight  to  reciprocate  the  blessing. 

But  still,  in  order  to  the  filling  of  this  treasury,  in  common  with  those 
of  all  other  benevolence, — in  order  to  our  rising  to  the  sublimity  of  this 


208  COMMITTEES, 

providential  occasion,  —  we  need  a  national  dispensation  of  the  Spirit  that 
shall  lead  to  a  consecration  of  property  and  of  life  wholly  unto  the  Lord. 

Half  an  hour  was  spent  in  devotional  exercises,  Rev,  Mr. 
Turner,  of  Iowa,  Rev.  Mr.  Clark,  of  Illinois,  and  others  leading 
in  prayer. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  it  was 

Voted,  That  this  body,  having  learned  that  His  Excellency  Governor 
Andrew,  of  Massachusetts,  is  in  the  city,  and  would  take  pleasure  in 
paying  his  respects  to  this  Council,  and  can  not  do  so  conveniently  after 
to-day,  will  be  pleased  to  receive  him  at  3  f.  m. 

Rev.  John  L.  Jenkins,  of  Indiana,  was  added  to  the  commit- 
tee on  the  Roll. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  on  behalf  of  the  committee  on  Nomi- 
nations, reported  the  following  committees.  The  reports  were 
severally  agreed  to. 

ON  COLLEGES  AND  THEOLOGICAL  EDUCATION. 

Rev.  Mark  Hopkins,  D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts;  Hon.  William  W, 
Thomas,  of  Maine;  Rev.  Henry  E.  Parker,  of  New  Hampshire;  Rev. 
Silas  McKeen,  D.  D.,  of  Vermont;  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Field,  D.  D.,  of  Con- 
necticut; Rev.  Thomas  Wickes,  D.  D.,  of  Ohio;  Rev.  Adam  S.  Kedzie, 
of  Michigan;  Rev.  William  Deloss Love,  of  Wisconsin;  Rev.  Elisha  Jen- 
ney,  of  Illinois;  William  H.  Watson,  of  Kansas;  Jacob  Bacon,  Esq.,  of 
California. 

ON  AMERICAN  PROTESTANT  ASSEMBLY. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Taylor,  D.  D.,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  Edwin  B.  Webb, 
of  Massachusetts;  Rev.  Moses  H.  Wilder,  of  New  York;  Rev.  Abel  K. 
Packard,  of  Minnesota;  Rev.  Philo  C.  Pettibone,  of  Wisconsin. 

ON  CHURCH  BUILDING. 

Rev.  Samuel  G.  Buckingham,  of  Massachusetts;  Dea.  Henry  P. 
Haven,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  Franklin  B.  Doe,  of  Wisconsin;  Dea.  Philo 
Carpenter,  of  Illinois;  Rev.  Isaac  Jennings,  of  Vermont;  Rev.  Joshua 
M.  Chamberlain,  of  Iowa;  Rev.  Edwin  Johnson,  of  Maryland. 

ON  TEMPERANCE. 

Rev.  Constantine  Blodgett,  d.  d.,  of  Rhode  Island;  Rev.  Zedekiah  S. 
Barstow,  d.  d.,  of  New  Hampshire;  Charles  A.  Stackpole,  of  Maine; 
Dea.  William  Thurston,  of  Massachusetts;  Dea.  Lorenzo  D.  Dana,  of  New 
York;  Dea.  Abram  Griswold,of  Ohio;  Rev.  Joseph  Collie,  of  Wisconsin. 


PAROCHIAL   EVANGEUZATIOX.  209 


ON  PAKOCHIAL  EVANGELIZATION. 

The  committee  appointed  to  introduce  to  the  National  Council  of 
Congregational  Churches  the  subject  of  parochial  evangelization,  report 
the  following 

STATEMENT. 

The  work  of  our  churches  divides  itself  into  several  departments. 
Efforts  in  behalf  of  other  nations  we  call  foreign  missions;  the  founding 
of  new  churches  and  the  assistance  of  such  as  are  feeble,  within  the  limits 
of  our  own  country,  we  name  home  missions;  while  all  churches  exist 
for  a  particular  work,  styled,  in  the  resolution  appointing  this  committee, 
parochial  evangelization,  —  a  work  which  looks  toward  the  reconciliation 
and  sanctification  of  all  the  souls  embraced  within  the  communities  that 
severally  constitute  the  proper  parishes  of  the  churches,  and  which  aims 
«t  a  general  and  complete  popular  Christianization. 

The  object  of  the  present  paper  is,  to  bring  clearly  to  mind  this  glorious 
duty  and  privilege  of  the  churches,  with  some  of  the  ways  of  its  fulfill- 
ment. To  this  end  it  is  necessary  briefly  to  recall  the  true  idea  and  office 
of  the  church,  and  to  consider,  somewhat  more  at  length,  the  modes  in 
which  its  established  services  and  its  administration  may  be  most  effi- 
cient 

THE  CHTJRCH  UNIVERSAL. 

It  is  the  chief  end  of  man  to  glorify  God,  and  share  his  joy;  and  of 
the  world,  to  be  a  place  of  nurture  for  souls  thus  fulfilling  tiieir  end. 
The  church  on  earth  embraces  all  who  have  begun  to  glorify  and  enjoy 
God,  and  so  is  the  essential  realization  of  the  end  of  creation ;  but,  being  the 
"  body  of  Christ,"  wherein  he  dwells  and  whereby  he  works,  it  is  also 
the  means  of  its  realization.  The  conquest  of  the  world  is  its  proper 
function;  and  it  is  no  more  really  the  natural  quality  of  salt  to  save  from 
corruption,  or  of  light  to  annihilate  darkness,  of  leaven  to  leaven  the  lump, 
or  of  a  living  seed  to  assimilate  earth,  air,  water,  and  light,  into  its  own 
body,  according  to  its  own  law,  than  for  the  spirit  of  Christ,  working  in 
and  through  the  church,  to  cleanse  from  moral  corruption,  disperse  moral 
darkness,  fill  society  with  a  divine  leaven,  and  incorporate  with  its  own 
body,  and  build  up  in  heavenly  beauty  the  alienated  and  lost  souls  that 
surround  it.  God  ordained  the  churches  for  this  end,  and  they  must  be 
esteemed  equal  to  its  accomplishment.  In  entering  upon  the  considera- 
tion of  our  subject,  we  properly  start  with  this  assumption. 

ORGANIC  CHURCHES. 

But,  obviously,  in  order  that  our  organic  churches,  which  are,  at  best, 
but  an  imperfect  realization  of  their  idea,  may  justify  such  an  expecta- 
tion, they  must*  be  really  churches,  and  must  be  nothing  else. 

To  this  end,  it  is  necessary,  first,  that  they  should  be  composed  of  be- 

14 


210  PAROCHIAL    EVANGELIZATION. 

lievers,  —  of  those  who  have  begun  to  love  with  Christ's  love;  a  love  in 
which  they  are  holy  and  a  brotherhood. 

Pnrthermore,  every  church  must  needs  embody  its  essential  idea  in  its 
organization,  and  be  a  brotherhood  in  form  as  well  as  in  spirit,  —  avoid- 
ing all  semblance  of  such  authority  and  subjection  as  are  common  in  the 
world.  No  "  greatest,"  and  no  "  master,"  can  be  recognized  here.  As 
believers,  we  have  one  Master,  and  he  is  above :  all  we  are  brethren. 
The  apostle  disclaimed  dominion,  and  aspired  only  to  be  a  helper  of  joy 
to  his  fellow-disciples;  and  our  blessed  Lord  specifically  instructed  his 
followers,  with  regard  to  the  spirit  and  law  of  his  church,  when  he  washed 
their  feet. 

The  structure  of  a  society  embodies  ideas  and  fixes  relations;  and 
these  ideas  it  is  always  teaching,  and  these  relations  are  always  shaping 
character  and  action.  The  church  needs  to  have  the  true  church  form  — 
of  a  brotherhood  —  or  its  organization  will  be  subtly,  or  perhaps  very 
openly,  counterworking  its  work.  Its  very  organization  should  be  the 
birth  of  a  love  which  annihilates  caste  and  sense  of  hierarchy. 

When  churches  have  thus  been  organized  of  the  right  material,  and  in 
the  right  form,  they  need  to  be  careful,  thirdly,  to  confine  themselves  to 
their  true  end. 

The  one  end  of  the  church  universal  is  the  glory  of  God  in  human  re- 
demption ;  and  the  local  church  finds  its  one  chief  end  in  the  same  result, 
throughout  the  community  which  makes  up  its  proper  parish, — in  other 
words,  "  parochial  evangelization."  It  may  not  allow  itself  to  be  turned 
to  any  other  object;  nor  can  it  safely  unite  with  other  churches  as  a  con- 
stituent in  societies,  either  secular  or  semi-secular,  whose  operations  in- 
volve large  material  interests  or  weighty  financial  cares.  One  thing  it 
has  to  do;  and  that  is  so  immense  and  difilcult,  that  it  cannot  give  itself 
to  anything  else.  In  one  precious  and  eternal  bond  is  it  united  with  all 
other  churches  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  it  may  not  imperil  this  most 
sacred  of  all  conceivable  relations,  so  peculiarly  delicate  and  sensitive, 
by  grosser  mixtures,  so  often  fruitful  of  strife.  It  is  essential  that  each 
church  both  hold  fast  to  its  exclusively  spiritual  end,  and  to  its  own  sep- 
arate identity  and  responsibility,  maintaining,  indeed,  the  closest  possible 
spiritual  union  with  other  churches,  in  love,  but  refusing  all  corpoi*ate 
and  business  ties  with  them,  all  authority  (in  the  worldly  sense)  and  all 
subjection.  This  we  hold  to  be  essential  to  the  prosecution  of  a  thorough 
and  imiversal  parochial  evangelization. 

When  churches  have  thus  been  organized  of  the  right  material,  in  the 
right  form,  and  for  the  right  end,  it  remains,  fourthly,  that  they  adopt  the 
right  methods  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  end.  The  end,  as  already 
stated,  is  the  working  out,  under  God,  of  human  redemption  from  sin, 
into  love,  blessedness,  and  holy  service;  and  the  work  of  the  chiurch  may 
be  viewed  in  three  aspects,  —  as  related  directly  to  God,  to  believers,  and 
to  man  still  in  a  state  of  alienation ;  thus  having  the  three  divisions  of 
worship,  edification,  and  conversion;  and  its  efficiency^  in  all  these  is 
necessary  to  its  success  in  parochial  evangelization. 


PAROCHIAL  EVANGELIZATION.  211 

THE  CHURCH-WORK. 

WORSHIP. 

The  first  great  duty  of  the  church  is  worship.  This  is  Grod's  due;  and 
it  is  essential  that  every  church  render  a  pure  and  acceptable  worship 
before  the  throne  of  the  Divine  Majesty.  But  inasmuch  as  God  is  most 
glorified  by  that  which  is  so  ordered  as  to  be  also  the  greatest  blessing 
to  his  children,  its  method  may  appropriately  be  considered  when  we 
come  to  treat  of  what  is  essential  to  Christian  edification. 

SDIFIOATIOir. 

The  second  great  object  of  the  church,  prominent  in  its  work  of  paro- 
chial evangelization,  is  the  edification  of  its  members  in  the  divine  love. 

By  Worship, 

The  first  means  by  which  it  furthers  this  aim  is  a  worship  in  which  it 
becomes  a  channel  of  divine  grace  to  all  participants,  and  ofi*ers  itself,  as 
such,  to  all  witnesses  of  its  act 

Worship  is  rendered  (1)  when  the  hearts  and  minds  of  a  devout  assem- 
bly are  reverently  yielded  to  the  guidance  of  Holy  Writ  —  records  of  the 
divine  dealings,  breathings  of  penitence,  prayer,  and  thanksgiving,  and 
the  story  of  redemption  —  motions  of  minds  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
This  is  the  river  which  makes  glad  the  city  of  God.  We  need  to  go  back 
ever  to  these  fiowings  of  the  primal  springs. 

There  are  two  ways  in  which  this  benefit  of  Scripture  may  be  enjoyed  by 
a  worshiping  congregation;  namely,  listening  to  an  expressive  reading, 
which  re-clothes  the  sacred  words  with  their  original  life;  and  chanting. 
It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  latter  is  no  more  in  use  among  us;  as,  with 
singing,  it  is  almost  the  only  way  in  which  an  assembly  caa  properly 
join  in  the  outward  expression  of  worship  through  the  lips.  Our  congre- 
gations will  probably  never  satisfactorily  realize  and  appropriate  the 
meaning  and  preciousness  of  the  most  ancient  songs  of  the  Church  until 
they  have  learned  to  chant  them,  and  this  in  more  reverent  and  less 
hurried  style  than  prevails  elsewhere.  We  should  not  be  altogether  wide 
from  the  truth,  if  we  were  to  say,  that  it  requires  the  strength  of  a  great 
multitude  to  bear  into  our  hearts  the  weight  and  sense  of  these  words  of 
God.  Our  children  ought,  from  the  beginning,  to  be  made  to  feel  the 
grandeur  and  the  gladness,  the  lowliness  and  the  tenderness,  of  these 
inspired  Psalms.  Each  church  needs  them  in  the  evangelization  of  its 
parish. 

The  two  methods  that  have  been  mentioned  are  the  only  seemly  and 
proper  methods  in  which  congregations  can  use  the  Scriptures  in  the 
public  services  of  the  sanctuary. 

(2.)  The  "  service  of  song "  in  the  Lord's  house,  it  is  now  g^perally 
conceded,  needs  to  be  chiefly  rendered  by  the  whole  congregation,  led  by 
a  choir.  But  our  churches  have-  by  no  means,  as  yet,  entered  upon  the 
exceeding  riches  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints,  contained  in  this  elevat- 


212  PAROCHIAL   EVANGELIZATIOir. 

ing,  comforting,  and  transporting  service  —  so  full  of  blessing  to  devout 
hearts,  in  its  nearness  and  sweetness  of  communion  with  our  Lord,  and 
80  universally  attractive  and  impressive.  There  is  a  mighty  power  of 
edification  and  of  persuasion  in  rhythmic,  melodious  psalms  and  hymns 
and  choral  harmonies,  which  our  churches  and  their  schools  have  only 
begun  to  realize.  It  can  unquestionably  be  made  a  powerful  instrument 
in  the  evangelization  of  communities  and  of  classes  that  now  neglect  the 
sanctuary;  and,  indeed,  has  already  often  been  of  great  service  in  attract- 
ing children  to  the  Sunday  school,  and  their  parents  to  the  place  of  public 
worship. 

(3.)  As  the  mere  reading  of  Scripture,  in  seemly  style,  becomes  a 
way  of  worship,  so  the  preaching  of  the  divine  word  often  leads  the  hearts 
of  a  congregation,  in  a  contemplation  of  God  and  a  beholding  of  his 
glory,  to  thanksgiving,  adoration,  confession,  and  yearnings  of  deepest 
aspiration  and  longing.  If  we  dare  look  toward  the  Christianization  of 
whole  communities, — and  what  minister  or  church  dares  aim  at  any  thing 
less,  —  how  must  we  abjure  all  merely  literary,  logical,  disputatious,  de- 
nunciatory, or  melodramatic  and  sentimental  preaching,  and  strive  to 
bring  our  hearers  in  view  of  the  eternal  mountains  of  God,  the  mighty 
truths  whose  foundations  and  whose  summits  are  equally  out  of  sight! 
In  those  mountains  are  peace  and  joy;  they  are  homes  of  power;  and  from 
them  flow  the  living  waters.  The  deepest  truth  is  most  di\'ine;  and  is 
not  merely  pleasant,  beautiful,  and  moving,  but  awful,  glorious,  trans- 
forming, and  transporting.  It  is  our  privilege  to  wield  this  truth;  and, 
for  our  work,  we  need  it  The  people  must  worship  while  they  hear. 
It  were  vain  to  think  of  the  Christianization  of  communities  if  we  were 
to  forget  this. 

(4.)  In  public  prayer,  the  most  perfect  union  of  hearts  is  probably 
reached  when  one  man  of  fervent  and  devout  spirit  leads  the  multitude, 
in  words,  which,  with  his  tones,  are  the  birth  of  the  moment,  —  the  breath- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But,  that  this  may  ordinarily  be  secured,  even 
in  moderate  measure,  it  is  necessary  that  the  person  who  leads  should 
be  habitually  in  communion  with  God;  and,  furthermore,  should  be 
accustomed  to  turn  his  inward  communings  into  words.  The  usage  of 
our  churches  now  lays  this  demand  upon  their  ministers.  It  is  a  whole- 
some burden,  and  ought  by  no  means  to  be  removed.  Having  adopted 
the  highest  possible  ideal,  we  ought  to  seek  to  rise  to  its  demand.  The 
effort,  in  our  work  of  parochial  evangelization,  is  to  bring  all  souls  into 
communion  with  God;  and  the  Church  maintains  these  public  acts  of 
communion,  in  part,  from  the  hope  that  the  spirit  of  devotion  may  spread, 
like  leaven,  from  soul  to  soul,  till  all  be  leavened.  But,  that  the  leaven 
may  spread,  it  must  be  real,  and  real  at  the  time  which  is  its  opportunity. 

By  Instruction. 

The  second  method  in  which  a  church  promotes  the  edification  of  its 
members  is  by  supplying  instruction. 

The  instruction  furnished  in  the  church  aims  at  the  reconciliation  and 
sanctification  of  souls,  by  bringing  them  face  to  face  with  God,  in  Christ; 


PAROCHIAL   EVANGELIZATION.  218 

that,  beholding  his  glory,  they  may  be  changed  into  the  same  image.  If 
it  exhibit  not  that  glory,  it  fails  of  its  end.  So  far  as  it  deals  with 
other  than  eternal  realities,  and  with  thoughts  lower  than  the  thoughts 
of  God,  or  is  satisfied  with  a  beauty  inferior  to  that  of  Christ,  it  stoops 
from  its  state,  and  abases  its  sovereignty.  It  ought  to  unveil  eternity; 
to  unfold  the  .mind  of  God;  to  take  divine  things,  and  show  them  unto 
ilien;  to  make  plain  the  ways  of  a  heavenly  life  here  on  earth;  and  to 
breathe  something  of  the  dignity  native  to  souls  regenerate  and  sancti- 
fied, —  the  dignity  of  a  love  like  Christ's. .  While  considering  the  methods 
of  parochial  evangelization,  neither  the  ministry  nor  the  churches  may 
forget  this. 

In  Organization. 

But  Verbal  instruction  is  not  all.  As  has  been  already  remarked,  the 
very  structure  of  the  church,  when  what  it  should  be,  is  mighty  for  the 
instruction  of  its  members  and  of  the  community  at  large.  But  while,  in 
its  constitution  and  the  general  spirit  of  its  administration,  it  needs  to 
express  and  teach  the  Christian  love,  and  while  in  its  worship  and  the 
ministrations  of  its  pulpit  it  must  not  fail  to  edify,  it  ought  to  do  this, 
thirdly,'  by  furnishing  special  facilities  and  opportunities  for  the  development 
among  its  members  of  an  active  love. 

Arrangements  should  be  made  by  every  church  for  bringing  its  mem- 
bers together,  so  that  they  should  become  acquainted,  and  acquainted 
as  Christians.  For  this  purpose  the  weekly  prayer-meeting  is  of  priceless 
value.  So,  too,  are  the  smaller  neighborhood  prayer-meetings,  and  all 
social  religious  gatherings,  and  indeed  all  religious  social  assemblies,  —  in 
many  places  too  much  neglected.  In  every  practicable  way  the  church 
needs  continually  to  strive  to  bring  about  among  its  members  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  Saviour's  prayer,  that  "  they  all  may  be  on€."  Upon  this 
largely  depends  the  possibility  of  an  extended  Christian  influence  and  of 
the  development  of  a  system  of  church- work.  The  love  is  indispensable 
to  imion  in  labor;  and  for  the  awakening  and  cherishing  of  love,  there 
must  be  acquaintance  and  intercourse.  Our  church  members  have  all 
been  welcomed  with  covenant  vows  of  afiection  and  help,  which  deserve 
to  be  better  kept;  and,  to  facilitate  this,  special  arrangements  are  neces- 
sary. 

But  not  alone  in  the  delight  and  the  impulse  of  love  does  the  church 
need  to  build  itself  up;  it  should  edify  itself  also  in  love's  wisdom^  —  in 
that  spiritual  wisdom  which  only  comes  from  living  out  Christ's  precepts. 
These  precepts  involve  the  most  fundamental  and  comprehensive  prin- 
ciples, which  principles  must  be  studied  in  their  application,  and  not 
simply  heard  of  from  a  teacher,  in  order  really  to  possess  the  soul.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  church  needs  to  throw  upon  its  members  the  responsibility 
of  decision^  in  the  application  of  Christian  principles,  especially  of  those 
which  are  fundamental;  and  any  church  leader  who  undertakes  to  decide 
for  his  church,  or,  worse  still,  to  force  his  judgment  upon  them,  or,  woi*8t 
of  all,  to  carry  a  judgment  by  intrigue  or  intimidation,  misconceives  hia 
office.    His  office  is  to  guide,  not  to  dictate,  —  least  of  all  to  manipulate. 


214  PAROCHIAL  EVANGELIZATION. 

It  is  his  privilege  to  lead  his  brethren  in  the  study  of  the  mind  of  tlie 
Spirit,  so  that  they,  all  together,  shall  apprehend  it,  —  not  to  declare  it  by 
authority.  He  is  guide,  not  governor.  No  man  can  be  a  master  in  the 
church.  And  whoso  departs  from  Christian  simplicity,  and  assumes 
control,  or  uses  "  art,"  grieves  the  Spirit,  sins  against  the  brethren,  and 
breaks  the  constitution  of  the  church.  In  like  manner,  al^o,  any  church 
which  submits  to  a  dominion  that  dulls  its  life  transgresses  its  fundamental 
law. 

It  is  only  by  familiarizing  men  with  the  practical  application  of  prin- 
ciples that  they  can  be  put  in  possession  of  them.  This  the  church  does 
when  organized  and  administered  faithfully  after  the  New  Testament 
model.  When  organized  and  governed  after  any  other  plan,  its  efficiency 
is  necessarily  impaired. 

Again:  not  only  must  the  responsibility  of  decision,  especially  in  im- 
portant questions,  be  thrown  upon  the  members  of  the  church,  but  for 
their  own  spiritual  good  they  all  need,  also  a  share  in  the  responsibilities 
and  the  manifold  benefits  of  churck-tcork.  So  essential  is  this  privilege, 
that  we  may  even  declare  it  indispensable.  But  of  this  we  shall  speak 
more  at  large  under  another  head. 

In  Fellowship. 

Again:  each  church  needs  to  stand  in  suitable  relations  with  other 
churches,  —  recognizing  and  feeling  its  oneness,  not  only  with  those  of  its 
immediate  neighborhood  and  its  own  time,  but  with  all  true  churches 
of  every  age.  With  its  neighbors  it  should  join  in  counsel  and  labor; 
and  it  has  no  right  to  allow  any  bonds  of  authority  to  divide  it  from  such 
communion.  All  should  be  counted  its  neighbors  with  whom  it  can  join, 
or  whom  it  can  reach,  to  bless.  Nor  should  it  lack  a  sense  of  unity  with 
the  churches  of  other  lands,  of  other  days,  and  other  names.  Great 
strength  comes  from  a  consciousness  of  the  oneness  of  the  Lord's  king- 
dom ;  and  this  needs  not  at  all  a  corporate  unity,  so  sure  to  work  disaster, 
and  to  defer  the  accomplishment  of  our  Saviour's  prayer,  but  can  best 
exist  without  it 

In  the  Sdcraments, 

Finally:  each  church  needs  for  its  edification  to  cherish  most  solenmly 
and  tenderly  a  sense  of  union  with  the  Lord. 

The  unity  of  all  true  churches  of  Jesus  Christ  with  one  another,  and 
of  all  believers  with  their  Head,  is  commemorated,  figured,  ratified,  and 
perpetuated,  in  the  sacraments,  —  those  universal  signs  and  seals,  which, 
shared  by  all,  are  a  manifestation  of  their  oneness  from  the  beginning,  — 
of  their  oneness  with  Christ  We  can  not  hold  in  too  dear  affection,  or 
celebrate  with  too  loving  and  careful  solemnity,  these  seasons  of  grace, 
in  which  all  ages  join  and  all  disciples  remember  their  only  Lord. 
Churches  which  propose  the  Christianization  of  their  parishes  need  to  take 
all  possible  pains  to  secure  the  full  blessing  of  these  sacred  opportunities. 

Conversion. 

The  third  great  end  of  the  church  remains,  namely,  the  bringing  into  a 
state  of  reconciliation  the  souls  that  are  alienated  from  Qod, 


PAROCHIAL   EVANGETJZATION.  215 

We  have,  it  is  presupposed,  a  church  composed  of  believers, — persons 
who  have  Ijegun  to  love  with  a  love  like  Christ's;  organized  a  brother- 
hood; worshiping  God  ;  instructing  and  edifying  ite  members  in  the 
wisdom,  the  power,  and  joy,  of  divine  love;  entering  into  sacred  bonds 
of  communion  in  the  sacraments. 

But  the  chief  labor  of  Christ's  militant  church  on  earth  has  ever  been 
the  reconciliation  of  alienated  souls,  the  saving  of  the  lost  Not  only  do 
our  churches  find  their  principal  work  here,  but  they  can  not  even  be 
faithful  toward  their  own  members  unless  they  engage  them  in  efforts 
for  the  spiritual  benefit  of  those  who  are  still  out  of  personal  covenant 
with  God.  Yery  properly,  therefore,  is  the  inquiry  urged  home  upon 
us:  How  can  a  church  be  faithful  and  successful  in  this  momentous  work? 

Trust  in  Ghd. 

IKrat  of  all,  it  needs  to  be  keenly  sensible  of  the  fact,  that  the  work 
of  saving  and  sanctifying  souls  is  the  work  of  God;  and  that  it  is  only, 
as  in  union  with  him,  that  men  are  privileged  or  able  to  engage  in  it 

The  Doctrine  of  the  Church, 

In  the  next  place,  it  is  in  a  high  degree  important,  that  the  church 
should  understand  its  own  nature  and  oflice.  Its  members  need  to  be  so 
well  instructed  in  the  doctrine  of  the  church]  that  the  thought  of  God's 
kingdom,  and  of  his  earthly  kingdom  and  family,  should  occupy  and 
thrill  their  minds.  There  are  no  truths  more  full  of  light  and  power 
than  those  which  center  here.  Without  them,  churches  will  but  imper- 
fectly grasp  the  idea  of  what  they  have  to  do,  and  will  lack  both  the 
courage  and  the  faith  indispensable  to  sustained  activity  and  a  compre- 
hensive and  permanent  success. 

Parishes. 

In  the  third  place,  it  is  important  that  every  church  should  definitely 
recognize  and  accept  its  own  particular  work,  —  its  parish.  The  very 
form  of  the  statement  proposed  for  this  Council's  consideration,  —  the 
subject  of  "  Parochial  Evangelization,"  —  seems  to  assume  that  this  has 
already  been  done;  and  yet  how  seldom  in  our  day,  is  it  really  donel 

But,  if  a  church  is  to  do  its  work,  it  must  know  its  work,  —  know  it  as 
a  church.  Nor  can  we  reflect  at  all  upon  this  matter,  without  perceiv- 
ing that  when  once  this  work  has  taken  definite  form  in  the  mind  of  the 
church,  and  has  been  solemnly  acknowledged  before  God  as  his  commis- 
sion, one  important  step  has  been  gained.  The  divine  call  now  sounds 
clear,  has  been  understood,  and  the  church  has  answered,  '^  Here  am  I." 

Furthermore,  so  soon  as  a  definite  work  has  thus  been  recognized,  its 
parts  begin  to  be  distinguished, — some,  perhaps,  very  d^cuit,  but 
others  more  immediately  hopeful;  and  so  an  order  begins  to  appear; 
and  now,  no  sooner  has  it  been  determined  where  to  commence,  than 
methods  suggest  themselves,  —  a  really  intelligent  beginning  can  be 
made,  a  beginning  of  the  whole;  and  the  motive  drawn  from  the  whole 


216  PAROCHIAL   EVANGELIZATION. 

urges  and  helps  the  prosecntion  of  each  part;  furnishing  a  great  advan- 
tage to  every  working  member,  and  especially  to  the  pastor,  whose  duty 
it  is  to  superintend  and  incite. 

In  most  rural  districts,  and  in  some  villages,  the  natural  '^  parish  ^  of 
the  church  is  so  obvious  that  no  question  can  arise  concerning  its  boun- 
daries; and  where  two  or  more  churches  stand  side  by  side,  and  draw 
their  congregations  from  the  same  communities,  the  question  is  still  one 
o£no  difficulty;  for  here  the  churches  obviously  have  o.  joint  parish;  and, 
having  agreed  upon  such  division  of  labor  as  the  case  demands,  may 
each  go  forward  with  its  own;  recognizing,  in  reference  to  the  whole,  a 
joint  responsibility,  while  also  owning  a  distinct  care  and  duty.  Nor, 
where  churches  of  other  denominations  are  found,  does  this  bring  in  any 
serious  complication.  For,  acknowledging  with  joy  their  work  for  the 
Lord,  we  shall  find  enough  for  our  hearts  and  hands  in  caring  for  our 
own  and  for  neglected  families. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  this  system  of  parishes  is  impossible  at  the 
"West,  where  missionaries  sometimes  have  whole  counties  under  their 
charge.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  quite  as  easily  arranged  there  as  else- 
where, and  is,  perhaps,  of  greater  importance  than  in  Eastern  communi- 
ties; in  every  case,  there  is  a  community  that  forms  the  proper  parish 
of  the  church  which  the  missionary  makes  his  principal  center.  This  is 
that  church's  field ;  the  rest  is  the  minister's  out-field^  over  which  he  exer- 
cises inspection,  and  where  he  temporarily  bestows  a  certain  amount  of 
labor,  in  preparation  for  other  laborers  who  shall  enter  in  and  establish 
permanent  centers  and  parishes.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the 
young  churches  of  the  West,  now  in  their  formative  period,  be  educated 
to  the  idea  of  church  responsibility  for  communities. 

The  plan  suggested  may  possibly  be  thought  to  be  impracticable  in 
cities.  By  no  means;  for  it  would  supply  what  city  churches  so  greatly 
need,  —  a  definite  object  and  mode  of  practical  union;  and,  indeed,  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  thorough  occupation  of  their  field.  A  cer- 
tain geographical  allotment  will,  it  is  believed,  be  found  expedient  in  all 
our  largest  towns. 

The  Home  Prayer^meeting, 

But  a  church  can  not  be  expected  permanently  to  keep  in  mind  a  cor- 
porate duty,  unless  in  its  corporate  capacity  it  regularly  recalls  and  con- 
siders it.  Inevitably,  interest  will  flag,  and  efforts  wiU  wane,  unless  the 
church  holds  regular  meetings  in  behalf  of  its  work.  Wherefore  it  is 
evident,  fourthly^  that  ••*  the  home  prayer-meeting  "  —  that  is,  a  meeting 
devoted  to  prayer  and  counsel  specifically  in  behalf  of  the  church  and  its 
parish  —  is  valuable,  and  perhaps  indispensable,  as  a  means  of  remind- 
ing the  church  of  its  duties,  besides  affording  occasion  for  that  fervent 
supplication  which  avails  much. 

Moreover,  since  all  beginnings  are  in  God,  and  all  human  beginnings 
leading  to  real  success  must  be  with  God,  it  would  seem  impossible  for 
any  church  to  make  any  wiser  commencement  of  new  efforts  for  its  par- 
ish than  this,  of  regular  prayer  in  its  behalf    No  church  is  so  strong 


PABOCHIAL   EVANGELIZATION.  217 

that  it  can  afford  to  neglect  prayer,  nor  is  any  so  weak  that  it  can  not 
pray.  If  the  circuities  that  encompass  it  are  so  great  that  it  sees  no 
way  whatsoever  in  which  it  can  make  any  beginning  of  new  labor,  then, 
Burely,  it  is  called  to  lay  the  case  before  God,  to  study  it  in  his  presence, 
and  with  undoubting  faith  to  await  the  guidings  of  his  Spirit  and  provi- 
dence. 

Systematic  Labor. 

Fifthly,  It  is  important  that  a  church  should  prosecute  its  work  upon 
system.  It  has  already  been  remarked,  that,  so  soon  as  the  church  has 
defined  its  parish,  the  several  distinct  parts  of  its  work  begin  to  api)ear. 
The  community  is  at  once  resolved  into  four  principal  classes,  compris- 
ing (1)  the  members  of  the  church;  (2)  members  of  the  congregation, 
and  regular  attendants  who  are  not  members  of  the  church;  (3)  those  in 
Bome  sense  connected  with  the  congregation,  but  not  regular  or  frequent 
attendants  at  the  sanctuary;  (4)  families  and  individuals  having  no  real 
connection  with  any  Christian  congregation,  and  who  come  under  no 
stated  religious  influence. 

Each  of  these  classes,  again,  has  a  four-fold  division,  according  to  age; 
into  children,  youth,  the  mature,  and  the  old.  A  watchful  pastor  un- 
doubtedly carries  the  analysis  further,  and  classifies  the  members  of  these 
subordinate  portions  in  accordance  with  diversities  of  condition,  charac- 
ter, and  history,  which  indicate  different  ways  in  which  Christian  influ- 
ences may  be  expected  to  reach  them  with  good  effect. 

Although  we  are  not  here  called  to  enter  in  detail  upon  a  discussion 
of  methods  of  church-labor,  it  may  be  proper  to  indicate  certain  points 
that  invite  special  attention. 

And,  first,  with  regard  to  the  religious  education  of  children.    We  , 
believe  it  possible,  through  the  Sunday  school  and  otherwise,  to  secure  a 
larger  amount  of  valuable  Christian  instruction  at  the  children's  homes; 
and  that  this  is  necessary. 

This  end  would  be  promoted  by  giving  a  greater  fullness  and  impres- 
siveness  to  the  mode  of  administering  the  baptism  of  children  (which 
ought  always  to  include  a  brief  but  solemn  covenant,  and  an  appropriate 
chant  or  hymn),  by  a  more  frequent  and  urgent  preaching  of  this  duty, 
and  by  a  system  of  tender  watchfulness,  on  the  part  of  the  church,  over 
the  baptized  children  of  its  charge,  and  over  all  the  children  of  its  con- 
gregation and  Sunday  school. 

Furthermore,  there  is  need  of  a  competent  revision  of  Scripture  ques- 
tion books,  of  Sunday-school  library  and  especially  of  Sunday-school 
music  books,  and  the  relentless  exclusion  of  all  that  are  not  of  really 
excellent  quality.  The  amount  of  poor  and  bad  material  in  our  children's 
singing-books  is  appalling. 

Secondly.  In  respect  to  the  religious  training  of  our  youth.  It  is  a 
question  for  those  competent  to  decide,  whether  more  pains  may  not 
wisely  be  taken  to  exhibit  the  gospel  in  its  glory ^  so  that  the  young,  who 
are  easily  kindled  with  enthusiasm,  may  be  led  to  feel  that  nothing  else 
can  possibly  be  so  glorious  as  the  truths  and  realities  contained  in  this 


218  PAROCHUL   EVANGELIZATION, 

^  gospel  of  the  blessed  God."  Also  whether,  in  addition  to  general  instruc- 
tion, special  teachings  for  the  purpose  of  guarding  against  prevalent 
errors  might  not  be  of  use.  Whether  succinct  catechisms  might  not  be 
formed  for  this  purpose;  and  whether  lectures  upon  portions  of  church- 
history,  and  the  history  of  opinions,  could  not  be  turned  to  advantage. 
Whether  the  influences  of  "  society  "  may  not  be  made  more  uniformly 
benignant  and  wholesome?  Whether  pastors  are  really  faithful  in  fol- 
lowing up  with  personal  labors  the  effects  of  their  preaching. 

Thirdly.  Are  not  persons  of  adult  years  often  incorrectly  presumed  to 
be  practically  out  of  reach?  And  would  not  a  more  sedulous  care  — 
would  not  more  system  —  in  pastoral  labor  and  administration,  be  fruit- 
ful of  precious  results? 

It  i^  certainly  true  that  our  churches  do  not  study,  methodize,  and 
watch  their  work  as  they  should;  and  important  portions  of  it  are  often 
wholly  neglected,  while  others  sufi*er  from  the  inattention  necessarily 
consequent  upon  lack  of  system.  Business  is  impossible  without  method; 
and  a  similar  attention  to  system  is  indispensable  to  any  complicated  or 
long-continued  work. 

Fourthly.  There  are  many /amiKes  and  individuals,  and  not  a  few  dis- 
tinct communities,  unreached  by  any  stated  ministration  of  the  word. 

Within  the  parish  bounds  of  many  churches,  in  all  the  States,  there  are 
neighborhoods  or  districts  the  inhabitants  of  which  belong  to  no  Chrig- 
tian  congregation,  and  are  reached  by  no  regular  religious  influence. 
These  outlying  communities  require  the  attention  of  the  churches. 

Within  the  bounds  of  parishes,  and  often  in  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood of  the  sanctuary  itself,  there  are  numbers  of  families  and  indi- 
viduals,—  some  of  foreign,  others  of  native  birth,  —  who  are  equally 
neglecters  of  the  sanctuary.  These  outlying  classes  also  demand  the 
'  attention  of  the  churches. 

The  circumstances  of  these  neighborhoods  and  districts,  and  the  char- 
acter of  these  classes,  are  so  various  in  the  different  parts  of  the  country, 
that  it  would  be  unduly  occupying  the  time  of  the  Council  to  enter  here 
upon  their  classification.  The  methods  by  which  they  are  to  be  reached 
by  effective  Christian  influence  are  also  various;  and  the  consideration 
of  them,  in  detail,  belongs  to  the  churches  themselves,  and  to  local  and 
State  conferences,  rather  than  to  a  National  Council.  The  leading 
methods,  however,  are  familiar  to  all:  special  visitation;  systematic 
visitation,  accompanied  with  a  distribution  of  Bibles,  tracts,  and  religious 
books  and  papers;  branch  Sunday  schools;  neighborhood  prayer-meet- 
ings, in  private  dwellings  or  in  school-houses;  neighborhood  preach- 
ing,—  with  regular  services  of  worship;  and  to  these  may  probably  be 
added,  what  has  been  so  well  tried  beyond  the  water,  the  employment  of 
"Bible  readers." 

Unquestionably  our  "  outlying  communities  "  and  our  "  outlying  classes  " 
can  all  be  reached,  if  the  churches  will  enter  upon  systematic,  prayerful 
endeavors  in  their  behalf.  It  was  for  such  work  that  they  were  made. 
Let  us  not  doubt  that  they  can  do  it  Experience  proves  that  a  church 
that  is  in  earnest,  and  tolerably  well  guided,  will  meet  with  encouraging 


PAROCHIAL  EVANGELIZATION,  219 

success;  and  that  a  well-adjusted- system  makes  many  things  possible 
that  are  otherwise  hopeless. 

Lay  Evangelists, 

We  have  been  wont  to  speak  of  the  foolishness  of  preaching  as  the 
power  of  God,  and  rightly.  But  we  seem  to  have  forgotten,  that  preach- 
ing needs  not  a  pulpit  or  consecrated  temple  for  its  efficacy,  but  may  do 
its  deepest  work  by  any  fireside  or  wayside,  in  any  workshop  or  field. 
Wherever  a  heart  full  of  the  divine  love  brings  this  love  in  the  truths 
of  the  gospel  to  bear  upon  any  other  heart,  there  the  gospel  is  preached, 
the  "  power  of  God  to  salvation."  All  faithful  Christian  parents,  teachers, 
and  friends  are  instruments  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God. 

It  is  a  question,  whether  our  churches  may  not  safely  set  apart  and 
"  license  "  certain  of  their  members  —  gifted  with  a  suitable  measure  of 
wisdom,  knowledge,  and  power  of  utterance  —  as  lay  evangelists^  to 
superintend  and  carry  on  the  Christian  work,  in  out-stations,  under  the 
particular  counsel  and  oversight  of  the  church,  through  its  committee 
and  pastor.  We  are  inclined  to  believe  that  an  important  portion  of  our 
work  now  waiting  to  be  done,  can  be  done  in  no  other  way. 

Local  Conferences, 

Fifthly,  This  whole  matter  is  peculiarly  the  proi)er  and  the  principal 
theme  of  church  conferences. 

It  would  seem  to  require  no  argument  to  prove  that  the  immediate 
work  of  the  churches  is  properly  their  main  concern.  Would  it  not,  in- 
deed, be  a  strange  mistake,  if,  when  assembled  in  conference,  they  were 
to  omit  its  consideration,  or  were  to  fail  to  give  to  it,  ordinarily,  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  which  they  spend  together?  Our  Sunday-school 
teachers  find  enough  to  interest  large  conventions  in  the  details  of  a  com- 
paratively hmited  and  simple  task.  How  vastly  more  various,  com- 
prehensive, and  difficult  are  the  responsibilities  which  come  upon  the 
churches  and  their  pastors  I  There  can  be  no  question  that  these  de- 
mand a  profounder  and  more  general  study ;  and,  for  the  purpose  of 
bringing  them  statedly  before  the  churches,  in  judicious  form  and  man- 
ner, and  of  securing  an  intelligent  comparison  and  summary  of  methods 
and  results,  it  would  probably  be  well  for  local  conferences  to  maintain 
standing  committees  on  parochial  evangelization.  These  conferences 
can,  also,  by  means  of  public  discussions  and  addresses,  aflect  the  move- 
ments of  public  opinion,  and  create  currents  of  sentiment  which  will 
greatly  assist  each  local  church  in  its  particular  work. 

State  Conferences, 

Sixthly,  The  larger  conferences,  embracing  entire  States,  can  render  a 
similar  service,  appointing  their  commissions  on  popular  Christianiza- 
tion,  —  gathering  thus  the  results  of  the  general  experience  for  general' 
benefit,  and  marking  the  general  progress,  from  year  to  year,  and  decade 
to  decade,  in  this  process  inevitably  bringing  into  prominence  questions 
of  universal  and  permanent  interest. 


220  •    PAROCHIAL   EVANGELIZATION^ 

The  American  Congregational  Association^ 

Kow  have  under  consideration  a  plan  for  securing  reports,  summaries, 
and  discussions,  that  shaU  cover  the  labor  of  all  the  churches  of  the 
country, — our  national  work  of  popular  Christianization.  We  trust  that 
some  arrangement  to  this  end  will  be  carried  into  effect. 

GENERAL  MINISTERIAL  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Another  department  of  our  subject  merits 'more  attention  than  can  now 
be  given  it.  Error  and  sin  intrench  themselves  behind  defenses  of  learn- 
ing, while  the  truth  itself  is  deep  and  wide,  —  a  sea  that  no  sounding-lines 
fathom  —  a  continent  which  no  armies  subdue.  Hence  the  importance, 
not  only  of  a  learned  ministry,  but  also  of  ministerial  associations,  for 
concentrating  the  best  wisdom  of  the  ablest  minds  upon  the  exposition, 
inculcation,  and  defence  of  the  truth.  Whether  the  local  associations, 
which  are  now  universal  in  the  older  parts  of  the  country,  are  all  that  we 
need,  and  whether  larger  "  colleges,"  converging  the  learning  and  expe- 
rience of  the  ministry  of  entire  States,  may  not  have  a  place  in  the  best 
church  system,  are  questions  not  yet  answered.  When  we  consider 
how  much  is  implied  in  the  thorough  Christianization  of  any  community, 
that  the  evangelization  of  our  parishes  not  only  involves  the  defeat  of 
iniquity  in  its  high  places  and  its  palaces,  but  also  an  increase  in  the  av- 
erage depth,  and  an  elevation  of  the  average  tone,  of  popular  thinking, 
we  can  not  but  be  deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  securing,  on 
the  part  of  our  ministry,  a  patient,  united  study  of  great  religious  themes 
and  issues.  We  need  to  join  our  strength,  in  the  endeavor  to  think  the 
thoughts  of  God;  to  comprehend,  expound,  and  defend  the  truth.  Nor 
do  we  despair  of  this  result,  but  are  inclined  to  believe  that  ministerial 
associations,  general,  as  well  as  local,  have  an  important  part  to  play  in 
the  grand  work  of  popular  Christianization. 

OUR  NEED  AND  OUR  DUTY. 

And  now,  if  any  are  inclined  to  feel  that  your  committee  has  dealt  too 
much  with  general  views,  and  has  had  too  little  to  say  of  details,  we  re- 
ply:  The  details  belong  to  the  churches  and  their  more  local  conferences; 
and,  ftirthermore,  the  general  doctrine,  with  the  impulse  which  it  breeds, 
is  what  the  churches  now  most  need.  When  they  have  come  to  estimate 
aright  the  sacred  dignity,  responsibility,  and  privilege  which  clothe  the 
church,  as  God's  kingdom  and  family,  and  the  agency  which  he  has  or- 
dained for  the  conquest  of  the  world,  they  will  assuredly  find  out  for 
themselves  the  best  methods  of  Christian  labor. 

Immense  interests  are  dependent  on  the  proper  prosecution  of  this 
work  of  parochial  evangelization.  Unless  the  churches  rise  to  a  higher 
efficiency,  not  only  must  multitudes  of  souls  from  their  own  communities 
^o  down  in  hopeless  paths  of  sin,  but  the  work  that  calls  to  us  from  broad 
Territories  and  from  newly  opened  States  must  fail  in  its  very  begin- 

^  Until  recently,  known  as  the  "  Congregational  Librax}*  Association." 


PAROCHIAL    EVANGEUZATION.  221 

Ding;  and  our  institutions,  flooded  with  a  foreign  tide,  and  penetrated 
with  a  hidden  decay  in  their  very  foundations,  must  yet  come  to  their 
fkll.    The  hope  of  our  land  is  in  the  success  of  its  churches. 

Our  fathers  expected  to  fotmd  a  Christian  people.  This,  their  pur- 
pose, is  our  inheritance.  Let  us  solemnly  resume  it  in,  all  its  breadth; 
lift  up  a  standard  to  the  people,  and  cast  up  highways  for  their  return, 
until  they  shall  all  have  come  in,  a  "  holy  people,  the  redeemed  of  the 
Lord." 

In  conclusion,  your  conmiittee  respectfully  suggest  the  adoption  of  the 
following  / 

RECOMMENDATIONS  TO  CHURCHES  AND  MINISTERS. 

1.  That,  when  possible,  every  church,  taking  counsel  if  necessary  with 
neighboring  churches,  define  for  itself  the  territory  embraced  in  its  par- 
ish, and  recognize  a  special  responsibility  to  labor  for  the  spiritual  benefit 
of  all  Congregational  and  all  neglected  families  and  individuals  within 
those  boimds. 

When  churches  are  so  near  together  that  this  is  impossible,  it  is  rec- 
ommended that  they  accept  the  common  territory  as  their  joint  parish, 
and,  with  a  similar  formal  acknowledgment  of  responsibility,  secure  a  good 
mutual  understanding  for  the  best  prosecution  of  their  work.  But,  even 
in  cities,  we  counsel  a  geographical  division,  in,  reference  to  certain  kinds 
of  labor.  In  the  newer  portions  of  the  country,  when  convenient,  an  out- 
field may  be  designated  in  connection  with  the  parish  proper. 

2.  We  recommend  to  all  churches  to  devote  one  prayer-meeting  every 
month  (or,  perhaps,  in  the  case  of  the  feeblest  country  churches,  one  in 
each  quarter),  to  the  special  object  of  the  church  and  its  work,  —  giving 
to  this  meeting  the  name  of  TJie  Home  Prayer-Meeting, 

3.  We  would  suggest  that  each  church  set  before  itself,  as  its  work, 
the  complete  Christianization  of  its  parish,  and  enter  methodically  upon 
the  prosecution  of  this  enterprise,  —  classifying  the  whole  population  in- 
trusted of  God  to  its  care,  and  endeavoring  to  shape  its  instrumentalities 
80  as  to  reach  the  whole;  keeping,  also  careful  records  of  all  known  la- 
bor, and  all  visible  progress,  and  reporting  the  same,  in  proper  form  for 
record,  to  their  neighbor-churches  in  conference. 

4.  That  the  churches  maintain,  through  local  conferences,  standing 
committees  on  parochial  evangelization, 

6.  That  the  churches,  meeting  in  State  conferences,  create  permanent 
commissions  on  popular  Christianization. 

6.  We  shall  be  gratified  to  learn  that  the  American  Congregational 
Association  has  perfected  plans  for  the  promotion  of  movements  toward  • 
popular  Christianization  throughout  the  country. 

7.  That  all  ministers  of  churches  (1)  take  special  pains  to  instruct 
their  people  in  the  true  doctrine  of  the  church;  bringing  into  special  prom- 
inence (a)  the  character  of  its  material  —  believers;  (b)  the  form  of  its 
organization  —  a  brotherhood ;  (c)  the  dignity  of  its  three-fold  end  — 
Gkid's  glory  in  conversion,  holiness,  and  worship;  (d)  the  several  methods 
whereby  it  accomplishes  its  end;  making  especially  prominent  the  duty 


222  SYSTEMATIZING    BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS, 

of  each  church  to  be,  within  itself,  a  veritable  family  of  Grod,  and,  for 
those  without,  a  band  of  loving  missionaries;  and  sedulously  inculcating 
the  doctrine  of  church  responsibility  for  communities,  (2)  That  the  min- 
isters systematize  the  work  of  their  churches,  apportioning  it  so  that 
none  of  it  shall  be  overlooked,  and  none  unnecessarily  neglected ;  and 
aiming  to  secure  the  effective  employment  of  as  many  church-members 
as  possible  in  some  form  of  Christian  effort 

8.  It  is  furthermore  suggested,  that  the  churches,  in  their  local  confer- 
ences, take  into  consideration  the  expediency  of  endeavoring  to  meet  the 
wants  of  such  outlying  districts  as  can  not  be  statedly  supplied  with  the 
services  of  ministers  of  the  gospel,  by  the  employment  of  lay  evangelists 
regularly  appointed  by  the  church  or  its  committee. 

9.  We  suggest  whether  it  may  not  be  wise  to  test,  by  trial,  whether  a 
State  ministerial  association  can  not  be  of  service  as  a  professional  body 
for  professional  ends,  —  a  colUge  for  the  promotion  of  Christian  fellow- 
ship, and  of  the  knowledge,  wisdom,  and  skill  requisite  for  the  inculcation 
of  the  truth,  the  sagacious  conduct  of  necessary  controversies,  and  the 
successful  administration  of  the  pastorate,  —  thus  rounding  out,  in  full 
symmetry,  our  Congregational  organization. 

Daniel  P.  Notes,  >  ri^^^i**.^ 
Henby  M.  Dexter,  \  ^<^^^^^ 

Boston^  June  14, 1865. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy  reported  the  following  as  the  commit- 
tee, and  the  report  was  adopted  :  — 

ON  PAROCHIAL  EVANGELIZATION. 

Rev.  Reuben  T.  Robinson,  of  Massachusetts;  Rev.  Amos  S.  Chese- 
brough,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  John  M.  Holmes,  of  New  Jersey;  Rev. 
Henry  M.  Goodwin,  of  Illinois;  Rev.  David  Burt,  of  Minnesota;  Rev. 
Richard  Cordley,  of  Kansas;  Rev.  James  T.  Ford,  of  Vermont 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  BENEVOLENT  ORGANIZATIONS. 

Rev.  Israel  W.  Andrews,  d.  d.,  of  Ohio,  read  the  following 
report,  which  was  then  referred  under  the  rules :  — 

SYSTEMATIZING  BENEVOLENT  CONTRIBUTIONS. 

The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  "  the  classification  of  benevo- 
lent organizations  to  be  recommended  to  the  patronage  of  the  churches," 
have  found  themselves  embarrassed  by  the  difficulty  of  attaching  precise 
ideas  to  the  subject  on  which  they  were  appointed  to  report  In  the  dis- 
cussion of  this  topic  at  the  preliminary  meeting,  three  diflTerent  classes 
of  views  were  presented. 

The  first  contemplated  an  examination  of  the  existing  benevolent 
organizations,  with  reference  to  re-arrangement  and  consolidation.    The 


8YSTEHATIZINO   BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS.  228 

conviction  was  expressed  that  two  or  more  societies  might  profitably  be 
united  into  one,  as  having  the  same  end  in  view;  and  that  some  others, 
in  consideration  of  the  urgent  wants  of  the  times  upon  which  we  are 
entering,  should  not  be  pressed  upon  the  churches. 

Another  view  gave  prominence  to  the  practical  embarrassments  to 
ministers  and  churches  arising  from  the  multiplicity  of  objects,  and  the 
confusion  and  conflict  that  sometimes  result.  The  present  workings  of 
our  benevolent  system  were  declared  to  be  satisfactory  neither  to  the 
churches  nor  societies;  and  the  belief  was  expressed  that  measures  ought 
to  be  devised  for  their  mutual  relief. 

The  third  view  deprecated .  any  consideration  of  the  topic  by  the 
National  Council,  deeming  it  an  interference  with  the  work  of  the  indi- 
vidual churches,  and  not  likely  to  be  productive  of  benefit.  In  accepting 
the  duty  assigned  them,  the  committee  must,  of  course,  put  themselves 
in  opposition  to  this  last  view,  though  the  responsibility  belongs  to  the 
preliminary  conference  rather  than  to  them;  still,  the  existence  of  such 
an  opinion  adds  to  their  embarrassment.  If,  in  addition  to  this  difierence 
of  opinion  as  developed  at  the  preliminary  meeting,  and  subsequently  by 
consultation  and  correspondence,  the  sensitiveness  of  the  churches  on  the 
one  hand,  and  that  of  the  benevolent  societies  on  the  other,  be  consid- 
ered, it  will  be  manifest  that  a  duty  has  been  assigned  to  the  committee 
alike  difficult  and  delicate.  It  would  be  vain,  therefore,  to  expect  that 
the  views  here  presented  would  meet  with  universal  favor.  Whatever 
value  may  be  attached  to  them,  they  are  given  as  embodying  the  results 
to  which  the  committee  have  been  led  by  the  best  consideration  they 
have  been  able  to  give  to  the  subject 

The  individual  Christian,  as  well  as  the  individual  church,  has  a  two- 
fold duty  to  perform;  he  is  to  grow  in  grace  himself,  and  to  do  good  to 
others.  And  this  latter  duty  is  to  be  performed  partly  by  personal 
effort  and  partly  through  the  agency  of  others.  Here  is  the  sphere  of 
what  is  commonly  called  benevolence.  The  Christian  expends  money  to 
buy  Bibles  for  himself  and  family;  we  do  not  term  it  benevolence.  He 
pays  for  the  support  of  his  own  minister;  it  is  not  a  benevolent  con- 
tribution. But  money  given  to  procure  Bibles  for  distribution,  to  sup- 
port a  minister  preaching  to  a  feeble  congregation,  to  send  the  living 
teacher  to  the  heathen,  is  said  to  be  for  benevolent  purposes.  Possibly, 
Christians  sometimes  employ  others  to  do  what  it  would  be  better  that 
they  should  do  themselves.  It  may  be  easier  in  some  cases  to  give 
money  than  personal  effort.  But  the  discussion  of  that  topic  belongs 
not  to  this  committee.  Assume  that  there  are  no  shortcomings  in  the 
personal  activity  of  the  members  of  a  church, — that  no  one  of  them 
performs  by  proxy  the  duty  which  he  should  perform  in  person;  still, 
there  is  a  boundless  field  in  the  cultivation  of  which  others  must  be 
employed,  and  for  this  benevolent  contributions  are  indispensable.  It 
may  be  said,  indeed,  that  the  more  of  personal  efficiency  the  Christian 
manifests,  the  more  will  he  give  for  objects  beyond  his  immediate  reach; 
that  the  more  perfectly  he  cultivates  his  local  field,  the  more  vividly  will 
he  see  and  feel  the  wants  of  the  great  field,  the  world. 


224  SYSTEMATIZING    BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS, 

The  question,  then,  of  benevolent  contributions  is  one  of  great  scope. 
It  comprehends  a  large  part  of  the  work  of  the  Christian,  —  of  the 
churches.  The  giving  of  money  is  not  enough;  it  should  be  given  intel- 
ligently. To  what  causes  shall  our  churches  contribute?  To  what 
organizations  shall  they  intrust  the  expenditure  of  their  money?  These 
are  questions  always  important,  always  pertinent.  Is  there  any  thing  in 
the  peculiar  circumstances  of  our  country,  or  the  world,  that  makes 
them  specially  important  and  appropriate  at  the  present  time?  Has 
there  been  any  change  in  the  relative  importance  of  different  organizar 
tions?  Even  if  nothing  be  said  of  the  honesty,  fidelity,  and  ability  with 
which  these  organizations  have  been  conducted,  has  not  the  progress  of 
events,  or  rather  the  providence  of  God,  rendered  the  claims  of  some 
more  imperative,  of  others  less  so,  than  formerly?  Has  not  this  Coun- 
cil been  convened  to  consider  anew  the  fields  of  Qhristian  labor,  and  ti> 
inquire  how  the  work  of  Christian  benevolence  can  be  most  successfully 
carried  forward? 

The  subject  of  benevolent  contributions  is  thus  broad  and  compre- 
hensive; and  a  discussion  of  it,  while  embracing,  should  by  no  means  be 
limited  to,  the  practical  difficulties  of  which  our  ministers  and  churches 
complain. 

These  difficulties  are,  an  undue  multiplication  of  organizations;  too 
many  occasional  contributions,  which  interfere  with  the  regular  causes; 
a  want  of  discrimination,  so  that  more  important  objects  sometimes 
receive  the  smaller  Contributions;  and,  in  general,  an  excess  of  friction 
in  the  working  of  the  machinery.  Perhaps  the  difficulties  may  be  re- 
duced to  these  two,  —  a  lack  of  system  in  the  organization  of  the 
benevolent  societies,  considered  as  a  whole,  and  a  lack  of  system  in  the 
arrangements  for  contributions  in  the  individual  churches.  Has  not  too 
much  been  left  to  accident,  a«  well  in  the  formation  of  the  societies  as  in 
providing  the  means  for  their  operations? 

Our  benevolent  machinery  should  be  as  simple  as  possible  consistent 
with  the  highest  efficiency.  Two  or  more  organizations  ought  not  to  be 
established  or  continued  to  perform  a  work  for  which  one  is  sufficient. 
The  churches  have  no  surplus,  either  of  men  or  money,  for  organizations 
which  are  not  strictly  necessary.  It  has  been  said  that  appeals  have 
been  made  to  our  churches,  for  contributions  in  behalf  of  the  Freedmen, 
by  twelve  different  organizations.  Besides  the  useless  ex]ienditure  in 
keeping  up  so  many  associations,  what  confusion  must  be  caused  by 
such  a  multiplicity  of  appeals  for  the  same  object  I  Nothing  is  plainer 
than  that  no  new  society  should  be  established  without  the  most  carefid 
examination  of  the  field  to  be  cultivated,  and  of  the  agencies  already 
engaged  in  the  work.  There  should  also  be  a  wide  consultation  of  intel- 
ligent. Christian  men,  both  clerical  and  lay,  before  entering  upon  so 
important  an  undertaking  as  laying  the  foundations  of  a  benevolent  asso- 
ciation, which  is  to  be  supported,  if  supported  at  all,  by  appeals  to 
Christian  churches. 

Akin  to  this  difficulty  arising  from  the  multiplicity  of  organizations 
is  that  from  the  numerous  occasional  calls  for  contributions.    This  evil 


SYSTEMATIZING   BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS.  225 

is  felt  more  in  the  cities  and  larger  towns.  Aid  is  needed  for  some  object 
not  coming  within  the  province  of  any  regular  association,  and  to  secure 
it,  application  is  made  to  one  or  more  churches  where  it  is  thought  a 
hearing  can  be  obtained.  The  applicant  deems  his  cause  to  be  meritorious 
in  a  high  degree;  and  it  is  one,  moreover,  whose  claims  to  immediate 
attention  are  imperative.  It  is  often  difficult  thus  to  withstand  the  various 
influences  brought  to  bear  upon  the  pastors  or  officers  of  the  church, 
and  the  number  of  calls  of  this  character  may  become,  in  the  aggregate, 
very  great. 

But  shall  a  church  absolutely  close  its  doors  to  all  appeals  except 
from  certain  societies?  By  no  means.  With  all  our  system,  we  can  not 
so  look  into  the  future  as  to  see  all  that  a  year  will  disclose.  There 
are  good  objects  to  which  aid  must  be  rendered  outside  of  the  regular 
organizations.    But  the  number  will  be  small. 

As  it  is,  the  churches  complain,  and  with  reason.  Even  if  all  these 
occasional  calls  were  for  worthy  objects,  their  number  is  an  evil.  In 
some  cases  private  liberality  should  be  appealed  to.  In  others,  the  aid 
should  be  given  through  one  of  the  regular  societies.  Almost  every 
large  church  takes  collections  each  year  for  objects  which  come  legit- 
imately within  the  sphere  of  some  one  of  the  regular  benevolent  organiza- 
tions. In  the  eyes  of  some  men,  independence  is  the  cardinal  virtue. 
They  wish  to  do  things  in  their  own  way.  They  care  not  to  be  ham- 
pered. If  they  raise  the  money  which  they  think  they  need,  directly 
from  the  churches,  instead  of  receiving  it  from  the  treasury  of  a  society, 
they  are  sure  of  a  wide  discretion  in  its  expenditure.  This  feeling  of 
independence,  this  impatience  of  restraint,  will  account  for  many  of  these 
occasional  calls  on  the  churches.  Perhaps  to  the  same  source  may  be 
traced  the  formation  of  some  of  our  numerous  organizations. 

As  illustrating  the  great  advantage  to  the  churches  of  rendering  aid 
inigugh  the  channel  6f  a  regular  society,  rather  than  in  response  to 
individual  appeals,  refereAce  may  be  had  to  the  society  established  more 
than  twenty  years  ago  for  aiding  colleges  and  theological  seminaries  in 
the  West  The  churches  were  saved  from  a  multitude  of  conflicting 
applications.  What  they  had  to  contribute  they  could  give  with  perfect 
confidence  that  it  would  be  wisely  appropriated.  Substantial  aid  was 
thus  furnished  to  institutions  really  worthy,  while  it  was  withheld  from 
those  that  were  not  needed. 

Some,  at  least,  of  these  occasional  appeals  will  be  for  unworthy  olyects. 
Yet  it  is  often  exceedingly  difficult  for  the  pastor,  or  the  officers  of  the 
church,  to  distinguish  at  the  time  between  the  good  and  the  bad.  Even 
recommendations  from  men  of  the  highest  respectability  are  not  always 
proof  that  the  object  recommended  is  deserving.  Names  are  sometimes 
given  without  any  expectation  that  they  are  to  be  used  for  such  a  purpose. 
Thousands  of  dollars  may  be  collected  at  a  distance,  on  the  strength  of 
recommendations  from  men  who,  living  in  the  vicinity,  and  having  per- 
sonal knowledge,  would  neither  give  a  dollar  themselves,  nor  take  a 
collection  in  their  churches.  But  men  should  have  more  firmness,  it  is 
said.    Of  course  they  should;  but  the  fact  that  all  have  not  this  desirable 

15 


226  SYSTEMATIZING    BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS. 

trait  makes  it  the  more  difficult  for  the  churches  to  know  to  which  of 
these  occasional  calls  they  should  respond. 

This  class  of  appeals  should  be  subjected  to  the  severest  scrutiny. 
The  churches  have  no  funds  to  expend  on  unworthy  objects;  and  when 
men  discover  that  they  have  given  to  such,  their  confidence  is  shaken, 
and  their  general  contributions  are  diminished. 

In  connection  with  these  occasional  calls  outside  of  the  regular  benev- 
olent organizations,  allusion  may  be  made  to  the  taking-up  of  a  second 
collection  for  a  given  cause  in  a  single  year.  The  exigency  of  the  ca* 
is  the  reason  assigned.  But  as  there  are  many  societies  which  need  all 
the  funds  they  can  obtain,  it  is  a  question  whether  justice  to  others  will 
allow  any  one  to  ask  for  a  double  opportunity.  The  precedent  would 
be  sure  to  be  pleaded,  and  thus  the  difficulties  from  which  the  churches 
now  seek  relief  would  be  increased.  The  year  is  the  great  unit  of  time 
for  our  benevolent  societies,  and  there  is  eminent  propriety  in  adhering 
to  it 

These  are  some  of  the  embarrassments  under  which  the  churches  labor. 
The  multiplicity  of  appeals  for  carrying  forward  the  work  of  the  regular 
societies,  as  well  as  for  the  objects  lying  beyond  their  sphere,  tends  to 
confuse  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  subjects  the  pastors  to  a  sore  trial. 
But  these  are  not  the  only  parties  from  whom  complaints  are  heard. 
The  managers  of  our  great  charitable  organizations  are  no  better  satisfied 
with  the  practical  workings  of  the  benevolent  machinery.  The  conflict 
of  application  prevents  a  full  development  of  Christian  benevolence,  and 
thus  these  organizations  are  often  subjected  to  serious  embarrassment 
in  their  work.  Those  upon  whom  devolves  the  duty  of  presenting  these 
causes  to  the  churches,  find  their  work,  which  at  best  is  never  pleasant, 
to  be  doubly  disagreeable. 

It  should  never  be  forgotten  that  the  churches  and  the  societies  are 
laboring  for  a  common  end,  —  that  the  latter  are  but  the  agents  of  the 
former.  There  should  ever  be  the  highest  Christian  courtesy  between 
our  ministers  and  churches  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  officers  and  agents 
of  our  benevolent  societies  on  the  other.  The  many  appeals,  sometimes 
conflicting,  that  are  made,  coupled  with  the  lack  of  system  which  prevails 
in  too  many  of  the  churches,  furnish  ground  for  complaint,  it  may  be,' 
but  not  for  the  tone  and  manner  in  which  that  complaint  sometimes  finds 
expression.  It  is  easy  to  find  fault  with  agents,  but  the  time  for  wholly 
dispensing  with  their  services  has  not  yet  come.  The  number  of  pastors 
who  are  both  able  and  willing  to  do  in  their  own  churches  all  that 
is  usually  done  by  agents  is  increasing  every  year;  and  just  as  far  as  the 
work  can  thus  be  done  should  other  agencies  be  dispensed  with.  Nothing 
will  tend  more  to  hasten  the  day  when  extraneous  help  will  no  longer  be 
needed  than  a  wise  classification  of  benevolent  organizations,  and  the 
devising  and  executing  in  every  church  a  thorough  system  of  contri- 
butions. 

The  pastors  of  the  churches  and  the  officers  and  agents  of  the  societies 
are  laboring  in  the  same  great  field.  All  desire  that  the  benevolence 
of  the  churches  should  be  so  developed  and  directed  as  to  accomplish  the 


8TSTEMATIZING    BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS.  227 

• 

highest  good.  If  this  requires  the  consolidation  of  two  or  more  societies 
into  one,  no  personal  or  official  considerations  should  be  allowed  to  stand 
in  the  way  of  doing  it  An  organization  may  have  been  hitherto  ab- 
solutely necessary,  whose  work  can  henceforth  be  done  as  efficiently  and 
more  economically  'by  another.  Great  changes  are  taking  place,  new 
and  wide  fields  of  Christian  enterprise  have  been  thrown  open;  our  benev- 
olent operations  must  be  adapted  to  the  exigencies  of  the  times,  and  to 
the  demands  which  God  is  making  upon  us. 

As  already  stated,  one  of  the  great  ends  for  which  this  Council  has 
been  convened  is  to  inquire  what  is  the  special  duty  of  the  churches 
which  we  represent  in  relation  to  the  great  fields  of  labor  which  the 
providence  of  God  has  opened  to  us.  Having  given  this  inquiry  their 
most  earnest  and  prayerful  consideration,  shall  the  Council  then  recom- 
mend to  the  churches  the  benevolent  organizations  through  which  these 
fields  are  to  be  cultivated?  Your  committee  have  no  hesitation  in  giving 
an  affirmative  answer  to  this  question.  Not  to  make  such  a  recommend- 
ation would  be  to  leave  their  work  but  half  accomplished.  Nor  is  there 
any  reason  to  fear  that  the  churches  will  deem  it  an  interference. 
If  the  members  of  an  individual  church  are  guided  in  great  measure,  as 
to  the  direction  which  their  contributions  shall  take,  by  the  suggestions 
of  their  pastor,  who  can  doubt  that  the  deliberate  recommendation  of 
this  large  body  of  ministers  and  delegates  will  carry  with  it  great  weight? 

The  Council  should  not  be  deterred  from  such  a  recommendation,  either 
by  a  groundless  fear  of  encroaching  on  the  rights  of  the  churches,  or  be- 
cause of  any  apprehended  insinuations  of  inconsistency  from  those  who 
prefer  some  other  polity.  The  Congregational  churches  have  been  so 
thoroughly  pervaded  with  the  spirit  of  catholicity,  and  so  ready  to  do 
good  wherever  an  opportunity  offered  itself,  and  to  contribute  money  to 
sustain  enterprises,  no  matter  by  whom  controlled,  that  the  absence  of 
denominational  feeling  has  come  to  be  regarded  as  their  denominational 
characteristic.  And  when  action  is  proposed  that  has  any  look  toward 
providing  for  our  oAvn,  and  especially  for  those  of  our  own  house,  it  is 
hinted  within,  and  asserted  without,  that  we  are  abandoning  the  old  ways, 
and  becoming  like  the  nations  around  us. 

The  churches  have  sent  up  their  delegates  to  deliberate  on  great  ques- 
tions. Shall  the  results  of  their  deliberations  be  hermetically  sealed,  lest 
the  churches  shall  know  what  has  been  done,  and  be  infiuenced  thereby? 
On  the  same  principle,  and  with  equal  wisdom,  suppress  our  Congrega- 
tional Quarterly y  and  give  up  all  our  religious  newspapers  and  period- 
icals. 

The  ministry  is  the  chief  instrumentality  by  which  the  world  is  to  be 
converted  to  God.  The  gospel  is  to  be  preached  at  home  and  abroad. 
This  is  the  great  work.  Others  are  important  as  they  aid  and  supple- 
ment this.  This  is  the  principal;  others  are  auxiliary.  We  call  it  the 
missionary  work,  home  and  foreign.  But  the  missionary  is  a  minister, 
and  the  importance  of  his  work  may  be  estimated  by  that  of  the  pastors, 
of  our  churches.  Close  the  places  of  worship  in  these  towns  of  New 
England,  and  remove  the  ministers  from  their  people,  and  then  expect 


228  SYSTEMATIZING    BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS. 

the  ways  of  Zion  to  rejoice,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  to  be  buijt  np! 
*  When  those  whose  field  of  labor  is  on  our  Western  frontiers  have  looked 
j  over  the  wastes,  and  heard  the  importunate  appeals  for  ministers,  they 
may  be  pardoned  if  sometimes  they  have  asked  themselves  whether  the 
Christians  of  a  county  in  Massachusetts  or  Connecticut  would  be  quite 
satisfied  to  have,  as  their  sole  spiritual  guide  and  teacher,  a  colporter. 
If  nothing  could  be  a  substitute  for  the  ministry  here  in  New  England, 
neither  could  it  be  in  the  West  Were  the  members  of  our  churches  to 
make  an  estimate  of  the  amount  invested  in  church  edifices  in  the  older 
States,  as  well  as  the  sums  annually  expended  in  payment  of  salaries, 
and  in  defraying  the  other  exj)enses  incidental  to  sustaining  public  wor- 
ship, they  would  have  more  sympathy  with  the  feeble  churches  of  the 
newer  portions  of  our  country,  and  their  contributions  to  aid  them  would 
be  greatly  increased. 

The  Christian  ministry  is  the  great  agency  to  be  employed.  Those 
churches  which  can  not,  unaided,  support  their  pastor,  must  receive 
assistance.  Young  men  must  be  brought  into  the  ministry,  and  the 
churches  must  aid  in  defraying  the  expenses  of  their  education.  Houses 
of  worship  are  necessary,  and  a  helping  hand  must  be  given  in  erecting 
them.  If  permanent  educational  institutions  have  been  found  indis- 
pensable to  the  highest  and  truest  religious  progress  in  New  England, 
and  especially  as  trainigg-places  for  the  ministry,  they  should  for  the 
same  reason  be  established  elsewhere.  So  far  as  ministers  and  Christiim 
laymen  can  make  more  available  their  efibrts  to  do  good,  by  the  circula- 
tion of  the  word  of  God,  or  by  the  distribution  of  tracts  and  other  printed 
matter,  or  by  furnishing  libraries  to  Sabbath  schools,  they  should  cer- 
tainly avail  themselves  of  these  auxiliary  means.  But  it  is  of  no  little 
importance  that  these  associations,  which  are  engaged  in  thus  providing 
religious  reading,  should  be  regarded  as  merely  supplementing  the  work 
of  the  ministry.  The  special  wants  of  our  seamen  should  not  be  over- 
looked, though  the  duty  of  making  provision  for  their  spiritual  improve- 
ment seems  to  devolve  chiefly  upon  the  members  of  our  churches  on  the 
seaboard.  So,  too,  a  class  in  our  own  country,  that  can  not  be  reached 
directly  by  our  domestic  missionaries,  may  require  special  pro\ision 
for  a  time;  and,  through  the  same  channel,  efforts  may  be  made  for 
bringing  the  gospel  to  those  who  dwell  in  papal  countries.  The  peo- 
ple from  whom  the  shackles  of  slavery  have  just  fallen  have  a  claim 
upon  us  for  the  gospel  and  the  institutions  of  religion  and  civilization, 
which  we  have  neither  the  right  nor  the  desire  to  shake  ofll  As  yet,  but 
a  small  portion  of  that  work  can  be  done  by  our  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety; but  another  organization  is  already  doing  most  eflicient  service, 
whose  antecedents  give  it  the  highest  confidence  of  that  people. 

So  far,  then,  as  it  belongs  to  this  committee  to  classify  organizations 
to  be  recommended  to  the  churches,  we  place  first  and  foremost  the 
two  great  missionary  societies,  —  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions,  and  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society.  If 
the  important  work  of  'church  building  could  be  performed  by  the  lattei 
of  these  two  societies,  the  churches  doubling  contributions,  it  would  sim- 


SYSTEMATIZING   BENEVOLENT    CONTRIBTnCIONS.  229 

plify  to  that  extent  our  benevolent  work.  Whatever  other  causes  are 
overlooked  by  any  church,  these  two  should  always  be  remembered. 

The  cause  of  education  for  the  ministry  has  a  relation  to  the  missionary 
work  more  intimate  than  that  sustained  by  any  other,  and  its  importance 
should  give  it  plaoe  in  all  our  churches.  In  some  of  the  States,  an  edu- 
cational committee  attends  to  the  work  of  collecting  funds,  and  in  others 
the  American  Education  Society  has  the  matter  in  charge.  Surplus 
funds  might  well  be  used,  as  in  some  other  denominations,  in  establishing 
permanent  scholarships. 

As  also  directly  connected  with  the  missionary  work,  the  Society  for 
promoting  Collegiate  and  Theological  Education  at  the  West  should  be 
named. .  Its  work  in  the  past  has  been  most  salutary,  and  through  no 
other  channel  can  liberal  men  do  so  much  to  advance,  in  the  West,  the 
interests  of  thorough  intellectual  culture,  under  the  auspices  of  relig- 
ion. 

The  American  Missionary  Association  is  understood  to  devote  its 
chief — perhaps  its  entire  —  attention  to  the  freedmen,  and  the  com- 
mittee take  pleasure  in  referring  to  it  as  the  fittest  organization  for  that 
work. 

The  American  Bible  Society  is  too  well  known  to  need  any  special 
mention. 

In  regard  to  contributions  for  furnishing  libraries  to  destitute  Sabbath 
schools,  the  committee  venture  a  single  suggestion.  It  is,  that  a  portion, 
at  least,  of  the  contributions  made  by  the  children  of  our  Sabbath  schools 
should  take  this  direction,  or  that  our  churches,  when  raising  funds  for 
replenishing  their  own  libraries,  should,  at  the  same  time,  contribute  for 
feeble  schools.  Suitable  books  can  be  procured  in  many  places,  though 
none  more  suitable,  nor  on  better  terms,  than  from  the  Massachusetts 
Sabbath  School  Society. 

Allusion  has  already  been  made  tp  the  American  and  Foreign  Chris- 
tian Union,  and  to  the  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society. 

Most  of  the  organizations  called  into  existence  by  the  exigencies  of 
the  war  will  cease  with  the  occasion  which  called  them  forth.  The  work 
for  the  Freedmen,  however,  must  continue;  and,  as  already  suggested, 
the  American  Missionary  Association  seems  to  be  the  most  desirable 
channel  through  which  our  churches  should  contribute. 

There  are  many  points  to  which  the  attention  of  the  Council  might  be 
called,  for  the  discussion  of  which  the  committee  have  not  time.  The 
importance  of  conducting  the  benevolent  operations  of  the  individual 
churches  in  a  systematic  and  business  manner,  to  which  allusion  has 
already  been  made,  can  not  be  urged  too  strongly.  The  nature  of  our 
polity  makes  this  indispensable.  While  our  churches  abound  with 
business  men,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  in  cases  not  a  few  the  contributions 
are  managed  with  very  little  reference  to  business  principles.  Let  it  not 
be  forgotten  that  benevolent  contributions  are  a  means  of  grace.  The 
individual  Christian  who  gives  is  benefited  no  less  than  he  who  receives. 
All  proper  means  should  then  be  employed  to  develop  the  benevolence 
of  our  churches.    Among  these  means  none  is  more  important  than  the 


230  SYSTEMATIZING   BENEVOLENT   CONTRIBUTIONS. 

adoption  of  a  well-digested  plan,  such  as  is  already  in  operation  in  many 
churches.  Suppose  each  church  should,  at  the  beginning  of  the  year, 
determine  to  what  causes  they  will  contribute,  specifying  the  months. 
The  churchy  we  say,  not  the  pastor,  or  the  pastor  and  deacons,  for  the 
members  must  be  interested  that  they  may  act  intelligently.  The  num- 
ber of  occasional  contributions  should  be  limited,  for  it  is  those  which 
are  responsible  for  most  of  the  confusion.  Let  as  little  as  possible  be 
left  to  discretion,  and  nothing  to  accident.  At  the  end  of  the  year  let  a 
ftill  report  of  the  contributions  be  made  to  the  church,  and  entered  upon 
the  church  records.  Let  the  appropriate  committees,  or  the  deacons, 
present  the  receipts  of  the  treasurers  of  the  societies  as  the  proper  evi- 
dence that  the  contributions  have  reached  their  destination.  All  other 
associations  make  their  annual  reports;  why  should  not  our  churches? 
The  members  need  to  know  what  their  church  has  done.  In  some 
churches  this  knowledge  is  in  possession,  but  not  in  all.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  our  members  know  less  of  the  operations  of  their  individual 
churches,  and  less  of  What  is  done  by  the  churches  of  their  order 
throughout  the  land,  than  those  of  any  sister  denomination.  To  what- 
ever cause  this  may  be  attributed,  it  is  to  be  remedied  only  by  sys- 
tematic effort  in  the  individual  church. 

The  committee  think  that  those  churches  which  contribute  to  a  regu- 
lar cause  each  month  will  have  no  difficulty  in  completing  the  cycle  each 
year.  But  no  occasional  cause  should  be  allowed  to  crowd  out  one  of 
those  decided  upon  by  the  church.  Where  collections  are  taken  less  fre- 
quently, two  plans  may  be  adopted.  One  is  to  make  contributions 
singly  for  the  more  important  objects,  and  to  group  the  others,  that  the 
list  shall  be  completed  each  year.  The  other  contemplates  annual  col- 
lections for  the  great  causes,  and  biennial  for  the  others.  Each  has  its 
advantages.  Where  two  or  more  causes  are  presented  at  once,  and  the 
collection  divided,  the  impression  must  be  less  distinct  and  definite. 
The  members  should  give  intelligently,  and  clear  statements  should  be 
made  by  agents  or  pastors  of  the  nature  and  object  and  workings  of 
every  association  for  which  funds  are  solicited.  The  pastors  assume  too 
much  knowledge  of  our  societies  and  their  operations  on  the  part  of 
their  congregations.  They  forget  that  young  people  are  all  the  while 
coming  forward,  and  that  men  are  brought  into  the  church  from  the 
world,  with  whom  the  American  Board  even  is  not  a  household  word. 
It  is  our  conviction  that  a  clear,  business-like  statement  of  the  condition 
and  operations  of  a  society,  occupying  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  would  be 
more  potent  with  the  men  who  give  the  money  than  an  impassioned 
appeal  of  an  hour. 

In  conclusion,  the  evils  of  which  so  much  complaint  has  been  made 
can  be  remedied  by  the  pastor  and  the  churches,  and  by  them  alone. 
The  adoption  of  rigid  system,  as  to  contributions,  is  indispensable  to  the 
prosperity  of  every  church.  Irresponsible  agents  must  be  excluded,  and 
churches  must  decide  for  themselves  to  what  they  will  contribute. 
Their  plans  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  executed  should  be  put  on 
record.    The  history  of  the  benevolence  of  a  church  is  worthy  of  pres- 


EVANGELIZATION   IN   FOREIGN   LANDS'.  231 

ervatioiL  Because  money  is  given  for  benevolent  purposes,  it  does  not 
follow  that  it  should  be  given  at  random.  Perhaps,  by  virtue  of  their 
office,  the  deacons  should  look  after  these  matters;  but  if  they  do  not, 
the  minister  must  Let  him  not  fear  a  little  contact  with  business 
details.  Other  things  being  equal,  the  more  practical  talent  he  pos- 
sesses, the  greater  will  be  his  success. 

The  field  of  benevolence  is  large  and  open.  A  great  work  is  before 
us.  God  has  given  wealth  to  our  churches,  and,  to  some  extent,  they 
acknowledge  their  stewardship.  What  is  specially  needed  is  system, 
both  in  the  individual  churches  and  in  the  benevolent  organizations  con- 
sidered as  parts  of  one  whole,  and  as  doing  a  common  work;  it  is  needed 
in  the  former,  that  the  treasury  of  the  Lord  may  be  kept  always  full;  in 
the  latter,  that  from  every  expenditure  the  best  results  may  flow. 

Israel  W.  Andrews,  ) 
Kay  Palmer,  y  Committee. 

Henry  E.  Parker,     ) 

Boston,  Jane  14,  1866. 

It  was  accepted,  and  reference  ordered  to  a  special  commit- 
tee. 

The  convention  then  took  a  recess  until  3  o'clock,  p.  m. 

AFTEENOON  SESSION. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order  at  3  o'clock,  Rev.  Dr. 
Thompson  in  the  chair. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  Evangelization  in  Foreign 
Lands  was  read  by  the  chairman,  Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  as 
follows :  — 

EVANGELIZATION  IN  FOEEIGN  LANDS. 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  Council  upon  the  work  of  evangeliza- 
tion in  foreign  lands,  submit  the  following  report:  — 

As  Congregationalists  we  are  not  only  comifiitted  to  the  prosecution 
of  foreign  missions,  but  our  place  is  that  of  pioneers  in  the  enterprise. 
We  have  taken  the  lead  of  all  the  denominations  in  our  land  in  the 
origination  of  agencies,  and  the  contribution  of  men  and  means.  The 
American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  is  the  child  of 
the  Congregationalists  of  New  England;  and  although  instituted  in  the 
comprehensive  spirit  of  catholic  Christianity,  and  common  to  us  with 
the  Presbyterians,  and  formerly  with  the  Eeformed  Dutch  Church,  it 
has  all  along  been  the  favorite  of  our  people;  and  there  is  no  distinction 
which  we  cherish  more  fondly  than  this  of  having  originated  and  been 
foremost  in  sustaining  American  missions  to  the  heathen-  New  England 
was  at  the  outset  a  mission.  Our  fathers  came  here  on  this  distinct 
errand,  as  professedly  and  as  really  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Indians, 


232  EVANGELIZATION    IN    FOREIGN    LANDS. 

and  to  extend  the  ^Redeemer's  kingdom,  as  to  make  new  homes  for  them- 
selves, train  up  their  children  for  God,  and  lay  the  foundations  of  a 
Christian  State.  Congregationalists,  therefore,  come  legitimately  by 
their  zeal  for  foreign  missions.  We  should  be  unworthy  of  our  ances- 
try, and  recreant  to  the  trust  we  have  received  from  them,  if  we  should 
make  the  commandment  of  Christ  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature 
secondary  to  any  other  duty  or  interest  Especially  incumbent  is  this 
declaration  upon  this  First  National  Congregational  Cmincil ;  and  not 
the  less  because  we  are  assembled  at  a  solemn  juncture  of  our  country's 
history  to  enter  afresh  upon  the  work  of  home  missions,  and  adjust  our- 
selves to  the  new  openings  the  war  has  made  for  the  establishment  of 
free  churches  and  a  free  gospel  in  the  South.  We  are  planning  and 
praying  for  the  enfranchisement  and  regeneration  of  our  country;  but 
we  do  not  stop  with  this,  —  we  wish  to  give  our  country  to  Christ,  that 
through  it  the  world  may  be  the  more  speedily  redeemed.  A  patriotism 
that  ends  in  coldness  or  antagonism  toward  the  rest  of  mankind  is  sel- 
fishness and  crime.  Our  country,  its  reconstruction  and  evangelization, 
is  just  now  our  first  solicitude;  but  so  far  from  separating  the  home 
field  from  the  foreign,  we  believe  them  to  be  one  and  indissoluble,  and 
it  is  only  as  we  are  loyal  to  Christ  that  we  can  hope  that  he  will  be  pro- 
pitious to  us. 

Your  committee,  therefore,  recommend  that  the  Council,  as  represent- 
atives of  the  churches,  do  testify  their  deep  sense  of  the  importance  of 
Foreign  Missions,  and  their  unabated  devotion  to  the  prosecution  of  the 
enterprise.  We  need  it  for  ourselves.  The  work  will  die  at  home,  if  it 
languish  abroad.  It  is  the  sign  of  our  fellowship  with  Christ  It  is  the 
condition  of  his  blessing.  We  need  it  in  every  sense,  and  for  every 
reason.  Our  piety  needs  it  It  is  the  purest  form  of  benevolence  on 
earth ;  and  it  sustains  and  intones  every  other  form  of  benevolence  in 
church  or  State.  If  we  withhold  from  the  heathen,  God  will  withhold 
from  us.  If  we  keep  back  our  sons  and  daughters  from  the  remotest 
people  for  whom  Christ  died,  the  si)irit  will  be  wanting  in  them  for  the 
service  of  God  in  this  our  dearest  country.  For  every  true  missionary 
of  the  cross  who  has  died  on  the  foreign  field,  God  has  poured  the  spirit 
of  consecration  into  the  hearts  of  our  youth  at  home;  and  we  have  been 
the  richer  in  spirit  and  material  for  every  such  loss.  We  can  not  afford 
to  shut  ofi"  this  source  of  supply,  now  that  we  are  entering  a  wider  and 
more  destitute  field  of  missionary  effort  than  was  ever  open  to  a  Chris- 
tian people  before,  and  we  need  resources  of  men  and  money  which 
nothing  short  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  best  ages  of  missionary  zeal 
can  impart  For  ourselves,  then,  and  the  work  of  home  evangelization, 
we  must  cultivate  the  missionary  spirit,  and  bound  our  sympathies  only 
where  Christ  bounded  his. 

Besides  this,  God  has  so  greatly  blessed  us,  given  us  such  success  in 
regions  so  wide  and  inviting,  so  many  populations  are  looking  to'  us  for 
the  gospel,  and  by  the  tacit  consent  of  Protestant  Christians  are  Iqft  to 
us,  and  made  dependent  upon  us,  that  we  are  beholden  of  God  to  pros- 
ecute the  work.    No  branch  of  the  church  has  missions  relatively  more 


EVANGELIZATION   IN    FOREIGN   LANDS.  233 

iinportant  to  the  evangelization  of  the  world  than  ours.  Some  of  the 
most  interesting  peoples,  and,  when  converted,  the  most  influential,  are 
ours  to  labor  for,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  redeem.  No  missionaries 
from  any  land,  in  any  part  of  the  world,  have  won  a  more  enviable  name 
than  the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  missionaries  connected  with 
the  American  Board ;  nor  has  greater  success  been  vouchsafed  to  any 
laborers  than  to  them.  The  Turkish  Empire  is  open  to  us  as  to  no  other 
nation,  and  the  decayed  Oriental  churches  are  receiving  almost  entirely 
the  gospel  at  our  hands.  And  it  is  a  pure  gospel.  The  churches  gathered 
among  the  Armenians  are  as  worthy  of  confidence  as  those  gathered  by 
the  apostles,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  may  be  made  as  efficient  in 
spreading  the  truth.  In  India,  we  have  a  wide  and  most  important  field 
among  the  Mahratta  and  Tamil  races.  In  Northern  China  the  openings 
are  more  numerous  than  we  can  enter.  In  South  Africa  we  have  a  lim- 
ited but  interesting  field;  and  AYestern  Africa  affords  to  us  one  well  fitted 
to  call  forth  the  energies  and  educate  the  Christian  zeal  of  the  Freedmen 
of  our  country,  and  it  seems  to  have  been  held  in  reserve  for  us  by  God 
to  meet  the  wants  of  our  colored  people,  and  assist  in  their  development 
Africa  and  America,  whose  destinies  have  been  so  strangely  blended  in 
the  past,  are  to  react  upon  each  other  in  blessings  that  shall  efface  the 
memory  of  the  wrongs  and  cruelties  of  the  age  of  slavery.  As  to  the 
islands  in  the  ocean  world,  it  is  enough  for  us  to  point  to  the  Hawaiian 
peoples  whom  our  missions  have  given  to  the  community  of  nations ;  and 
though  they  are  in  a  transition  state  from  dependence  upon  missionaries 
to  a  condition  of  self-support,  we  must  defend  them  from  invasion  and 
injury  by  others  till  they  shall  b©  able  to  preserve,  by  their  own  intel- 
ligence, the  free  institutions  we  have  given  them.  And  there  is  also  the 
Micronesian  mission,  a  most  hopeful  enterprise,  an  offshoot  of  Hawaiian 
zeal,  and  doubly  precious  to  us,  as  a  seal  of  the  true  Christianity  of  those 
recently  regenerated  islands.  How  intimately,  therefore,  are  we  related 
by  past  labors  and  present  commitments  to  the  whole  world  of  mankind, 
and  how  much  is  the  speed  and  thoroughness  of  the  world's  evangelization 
dei)endent  upon  the  continued  activities  of  Congregational  Christians! 
We  can  not,  if  we  would,  disengage  ourselves  from  the  work;  we  would 

not,  if  we  could. 

Wm.  Ives  Bitdinqton,  ^ 

Zachary  Eddy, 

C.  C.  Parker, 

Benjamin  Douglas, 

William  Carter. 


"  Committee, 


This  report  was  accepted  and  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  of  the  committee  on  Business, 
reported  the  following  resolution,  without  any  recommendar 
tion  :  — 

Besolved,  That  the  Committee  on  the  Roll  be  instructed  to  report  the 


234  WELCOME  TO   GOV.    ANDREW. 

names  of  those  members  only  who  famish  a  list  of  the  churches  that 
actually  participated  in  the  vote  by  which  they  were  chosen. 

The  resolution  was  adopted. 

The  committee  also  reported  the  following  resolution :  — 

Besolved^  That  the  Committeee  to  whom  the  Eeport  on  Home  Evan- 
gelization was  referred,  be  requested  to  consider  the  expediency  of  or- 
ganizing some  system  of  benevolent  effort,  by  which  in  the  various  regions 
of  the  country  where  the  education  of  the  whole  population  is  not  pro- 
vided for  by  law,  teachers  may  be  sent  forth,  in  company  with  missionaries, 
and  schools  be  established  wherever  churches  are  gathered. 

The  resolution  was  adopted. 

At  this  point,  His  Excellency,  Gov.  Andrew,  of  Massachusetts, 
entered  the  church,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk  and  Major 
Wm.  L.  Burt.  On  reaching  the  platform,  he  was  welcomed  by 
the  Moderator,  in  the  following  address :  — 

We  are  very  happy.  Gov.  Andrew,  to  welcome  you  on  thi/s  occasion. 
I  am  happy  to  present  your  Excellency  to  this  council,  representing  three 
thousand  Congregational  churches  in  our  land  —  a  body  with  whose 
constitution  your  Excellency  is  of  course  familiar.  When  fully  organized, 
as  at  first,  we  are,  in  a  sense,  a  Christian  State  as  well,  having  for  our 
head  an  honored  Governor  of  a  sister  State,  who  has  stood  by  you, 
sir,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  in  our  dark  and  terrible  struggle.  [Ap- 
plause.]—  That  noble  man,  from  whose  live-oak  the  wisdom  of  Con- 
necticut, for  seven  successive  years,  hath  hewn  out  her  pillars  of  State. 
[Henewed  applause.]  And  yet,  sir,  when. he  sits  here  among  us,  it  is  not 
in  his  capacity  as  a  governor,  but  as  a  deacon  of  one  of  these  little  Chris- 
tian Commonwealths,  and  as  a  member  of  the  body  of  Christ,  serving 
with  us  under  Him  who  is  Head  over  all  principalities  and  powers,  and 
who  is  Head  over  all  things  to  his  church. 

It  is  no  new  thing,  sir,  for  a  body  of  Christian  men,  of  Congregational 
men,  to  tender  their  expression  of  loyalty  and  respect  to  the  State.  These 
are  loyal  men;  they  have  been  loyal  to  the  nation  from  first  to  last;  and, 
sir,  they  have  been  loyal  to  good  old  Massachusetts,  acknowledging  her 
lead  in  this  dark  and  terrible  conflict  [Applause.]  And  we  have  rejoiced 
to  feel,  sir,  that  that  State,  whose  Quincy  Adams  and  Charles  Sumner 
were  the  first  confessors  in  this  great  moral  conflict,  and  whose  noble 
sons,  in  the  streets  of  Baltimore,  were  the  first  martyrs  in  this  material 
conflict,  has  been  so  nobly  led  through  this  dark  and  terrible  storm. 
[Applause.]  We  honor  you,  sir,  while  with  you  we  honor  Him  who  hath 
ruled  over  all  these  mighty  deeds  for  the  restoration  of  the  land;  who 
himself  hath  taught  us  that  a  great  redemption  from  a  great  sin  comes 
only  by  a  great  sacrifice.    While  we  bow  reverently,  acknowledging  the 


RESPONSE   OF    GOV.    ANDREW.  236 

hand  of  Grod,  we  rejoice  also  to  honor  those  who  have  been  his  honored 
instruments.  We  thank  you,  sir,  for  your  promptitude,  your  energy, 
your  firmness  throughout  all  this  struggle;  and  we  thank  you,  especially, 
for  words  that  have  roused  the  hearts  of  the  people,  —  words  such  as  few 
of  our  public  men  have  been  gifted  to  utter  in  this  conflict.  [Applause.] 
Words,  stirring  words  from  your  lips,  flashing  across  the  wires,  have 
thrilled  our  hearts  in  other  cities  and  other  States;  and  you,  sir,  have 
taught  us  to  ai)ply  the  words  of  Scripture  as  mottoes  of  patriotism, 
charging  us,  as  I  well  remember,  in  one  of  our  darkest  hours,  to  go  for- 
ward in  this  conflict  "  with  the  high  praises  of  God  in  our  mouths  and 
the  two-edged  sword  in  our  hands."  We  remembered,  sir,  that  Massa- 
chusetts had  once  more,  according  to  her  motto,  drawn  the  sword,  that 
she  might  have  again  the  sweet  repose  of  liberty,  —  a  sword  drawn,  only 
for  the  defense  of  justice  and  liberty,  —  and  we  knew  that  when  she 
drew  it,  it  would  never  be  sheathed  until  justice  and  liberty  were  won. 

We  welcome  you  to-day,  sir,  as  the  representative  of  Massachusetts, 
in  that  long  line  of  illustrious  governors,  excelled  by  the  record  of  no 
other  States.  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  this  Council  tenders  yon  its 
respects;  this  Council  will  remember  you  in  its  prayers;  this  Coimcil 
now  waits  the  pleasure  of  your  words.    [Loud  applause.] 

To  this  address,  Gov.  Andrew  responded  as  follows :  — 

Mr,  Chairman  and  Gentlemen: — You  ought  not  to  expect  one  of  my 
experience,  —  I  say  nothing  of  my  years, — to  be  embarrassed.  [Laugh- 
ter.] I  took  the  liberty  to  inquire  this  morning,  concerning  the  hours  of 
the  afternoon  session  of  your  Council,  because,  being  under  the  necessity 
of  visiting  Western  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  to-morrow  and  next 
day,  I  feared  that  your  body  might  adjourn  before  an  opportunity  should 
come  to  me  of  seeing  it  in  session,  and  of  paying  my  personal  and  official 
resjiects  to  the  gentleman  who  is  the  permanent  President  of  the  organi- 
zation, —  Governor  Buckingham  of  Connecticut,  with  whom  I  have  had, 
for  several  years,  a  most  agreeable  intercourse,  and  for  whom  I  entertain 
the  highest  respect.  I  did  not  know,  nor  suspect,  that  in  visiting  the 
Council  I  should  be  placed  in  any  situation  where  attention  would  be 
called  to  my  person  or  presence,  diflering  at  all  from  that  of  any  other 
visitor;  but  since  it  has  pleased  you,  Mr.  Chairman,  and  you,  gentlemen 
of  the  Council,  to  recognize  in  the  person  of  an  official  representative,  the 
merits  and  worth  and  history  and  character  of 'that  grand  old  Common- 
wealth which  it  is  my  fortune  to  attempt  to  serve,  I  can  not,  either  in 
respect  to  her  or  to  your  kindness,  omit  to  respond,  out  of  place  as  per- 
haps, in  other  respects,  I  might  be  upon  your  platform,  with  such  poor 
words  of  my  own  as  may  be  given  me  to  say. 

I  thank  you,  Mr.  Chairman,  for  the  cordial  words  with  which  you  have 
alluded  to  the  history  of  Massachusetts,  and  to  the  public  services  of  her 
public  men.  I  am  sure  there  is  no  man  or  woman  in  all  our  domain  who 
does  not  catch  with  gratitude  and  sentiments  of  cordial  reciprocity,  every 
BUicere  and  kind  word  looking  either  to  our  past,  present,  or  to  our  future; 


236  RESPONSE   OF    GOV.    ANDEEW. 

for  we  recognize  in  our  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  only  one  of  the 
representative  States  of  the  American  Union,  patient  to  follow,  and  also 
prejjared  to  lead.  [Loud  applause.]  If  in  the  past,  either  as  leaders  or 
followers,  we  have  been  found  faithful  to  the  great  ideas  which  characterize 
American  liberty,  to  the  great  duty  which  Divine  Providence  has  laid  upon 
this  people,  to  the  great  hopes  foreshadowed  for  us  and  for  all  mankind 
in  the  principles  of  that  very  Gospel  in  whose  service  you  are  met,  we 
are  grateful  to  that  great  and  good  Being  who  is  the  Father  of  man  and 
the  Sovereign  of  nations,  that  he  has  given  to  us  such  measure  of  liberty, 
that  he  has  given  to  us  such  measure  of  grace.  And,  more  than  all,  sir, 
we  are  grateful  for  the  opportunities  ot  this  present  hour,  which  opens 
to  the  faithful,  devoted  servants  of  universal  truth  to-day,  a  work  for 
mankind  which  it  was  never  the  province  of  the  sword  to  accomplish. 
[Applause.] 

Mr.  Chairman,  the  hour  has  come  when  the  duties  of  statesmanship 
are  before  us,  transcending  in  importance  a  thousand  times,  either  the 
duties  or  the  hardships  of  war.  War,  sir,  is  a  question  of  science;  war 
presents  a  problem  of  mathematics;  and  almost  any  one  can  solve  that 
problem  by  a  shrewd  guess  in  advance.  Assure  us  on  which  side  are  the 
strongest  and  heaviest  battalions;  assure  us  that  the  side  on  which  the 
strongest  and  heaviest  battalions  are  will  never  give  up,  and  mathematics 
prove  to  us  who  will  win.  Let  us  be  assured,  Mr.  Chairman,  that  truth  and 
justice  are  on  our  side,  and  I  do  not  know  that  we  will  win,  in  this  our 
day.  Tlie  days  of  God  are  long  —  those  of  men  are  short.  The  work 
of  God  is  in  eternity  —  the  work  of  men  is  in  time.  The  question  now 
presents  itsoU*  to  the  American  people  whether  they  are  capable,  by 
reason  of  conviction,  by  reason  of  a  firm  purpose,  by  reason  of  a  suffi- 
ciently intelligent  comprehension  of  their  own  duty  and  their  own  case, 
to  link  themselves  with  the  fortunes  of  eternity,  and  in  the  great  moral 
battles  of  the  universe,  fight  with  God.  [Loud  applause.]  And  I  trust, 
Mr.  President,  that  the  meetings  of  such  associations  as  yours,  that  the 
convenings  of  men  led  and  inspired  by  high  conceptions  of  duty,  whose, 
hearts  atichor  themselves  to  the  Eternal  Throne,  may  help  to  encourage, 
instruct,  and  inspire  the  people.     [Applause.] 

I  know  not  how  far  I  agree  or  how  far  I  differ  with  a  majority  of  the 
gentlemen,  or  any  one  of  the  gentlemen  present,  upon  questions  of  dog- 
matic theology,  and  I  suppose  that  neither  you  nor  any  one  else  cares. 
But  I  do  know  that  you,  as  faithfiil  citizens  and  Christian  men,  do  care 
whether  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  and  those  to  whom,'  for  a  time,  it 
is  given  in  any  measure  to  represent  Massachusetts,  are  grounded  in 
those  doctrines,  principles  and  methods  of  the  Bible  upon  which  were 
originally  founded  the  free  commonwealths  of  America.  [Applause.] 
In  a  common  purpose,  with  a  common  hope,  encouraged  by  the  expecta- 
tion of  good  in  this  life  and  the  promise  of  supernal  good  in  that  which  is 
to  dome,  let  us  devote  ourselves,  with  one  heart  and  one  mind,  toward 
the  realization  of  the  highest  hopes  of  humanity,  toward  the  perfection 
of  all  that  which  distinguishes  and  characterizes  us  as  a  free  people,  that 
which  inspires  the  song  of  angels,  and  adds  to  the  beatitude  of  heaven. 
[Loud  applause.] 

I 


RESOLUTIONS.  237 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  in  behalf  of  the  Business  Committee,  submit. 
ted  th^  following  resolutions :  — 

Whereas,  all  true  principles  of  civil  and  religious  freedom  have  origin- 
ated from  the  Bible,  and  can  be  established  and  sustained  only  by  the  gen- 
eral circulation  of  the  Word  of  God  through  all  the  channels  of  popular 
education,  whether  in  the  school  or  in  the  sanctuary;  therefore, 

Besolved,  That  we  honor  the  wisdom,  as  well  as  the  piety  of  our  Pu- 
ritan fathers,  in  ordering  the  daily  use  of  the  Bible  in  the  schools  estab- 
lished for  the  education  of  the  people. 

That  we  regret  any  departure  from  this  time-hallowed  usage,  as 
destroying  the  life-giving  power  of  popular  education,  which  has  no  true 
basis  but  in  those  great  principles  of  human  brotherhood  and  equality, 
taught  alone  in  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

That,  in  our  efforts  to  promote  the  education  of  the  people,  and  to  train 
up  an  intelligent,  patriotic,  and  Christian  community,  understanding 
their  rights  and  duties,  and  prepared  to  carry  out  the  great  mission  of 
freedom  and  religion  opening  before  this  nation,  we  pledge  ourselves  to 
maintain  the  right  of  the  Word  of  God  in  the  school  as  in  the  sanctuary, 
and  to  resist,  steadfastly,  any  and  every  encroachment  on  that  wise  pro- 
vision of  our  fathers  which  carried  the  Bible  into  the  daily  education  of 
the  people. 

The  resolutions  were  adopted. 

The  committee  also  presented  the  following  resolution,  which 
was  referred  to  the  committee  on  Declaration  of  Faith :  — 

Besolved,  That,  in  the  gathering  of  new  chiu-ches  in  the  West  and 
South,  the  National  Council  recommend  that  only  those  essential  doc- 
trines of  the  Gospel  in  which  evangelical  Christians  generally  are  agreed 
should  be  made  the  condition  of  church  fellowship. 

The  following  resolutions  were  also  submitted  by  the  com- 
mittee, and  severally  laid  on  the  table :  — 

Be^olved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  report  an  order  of  public 
Sabbath  services  in  our  churches,  that  will  relieve  us  from  the  present 
confusing  diversity  by  some  appropriate  order  of  service  that  will  secure, 
in  the  denomination,  general  harmony. 

Besolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  consider  and  report  on  the 
expediency  of  recognizing,  as  part  of  the  Congregational  system,  a  class 
of  ministers  specially  devoted  to  the  work  of  promoting  revivals  of  relig- 
ion, in  connection  with  pastors. 

Besolved^  That  inasmuch  as  the  enemies  of  Christianity  are  at  this  day 
I)ersistent  in  their  attempts  to  overthrow  the  Bible  through  the  medium 
of  science,  a  special  committee  be  appointed  by  this  Council,  to  give 


238  WAIJ>ENSIAN   CHURCH,    ITALY. 

utterance  to  our  confident  belief  that  the  Bible  will  withstand  all  the 
assaults  of  its  opponents. 

Besolvedy  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  which  all  historical  and 
statistical  documents  shall  be  referred. 

* 

The  Business  Committee  also  presented  the  ibllowing  inquiry 
to  the  Council,  which  had  been  submitted  to  them :  — 

"  Is  it  according  to  Congregational  principles  for  a  minister,  who  is  not 
a  pastor,  to  represent  a  church  in  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  ?  " 

The  question  was  referred  to  the  committee  on  Church  Polity. 

The  following  resolution  was  also  submitted  by  the  same 
committee  :  — 

Besolved^  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  consider,  and,  if  they  deem 
it  expedient,  report  upon  the  relations  an^l  duties  of  our  denomination  in 
relation  to  religious  books  and  tracts. 

« 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut,  the  resolu- 
tion was  referred  to  a  special  committee  of  three. 

The  following  letter  was  read  by  Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  and,  on 
motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Sturtevant,  referred  to  a  special  committee  of 
three :  — 

The  Synod  of  the  Waldensian  Church,  of  Italy,  to  the  Christians  of  the 

United  States, 

Brethren  in  Christ: — The  Synod  of  the  Waldensian  Church, 
lately  assembled  for  its  annual  session  at  San  Giovanni,  Piedmont,  has 
felt  it  behooved  it  as  a  Christian  body,  to  record,  in  their  acts,  their 
sympathy  for  you  in  the  loss  you  have  sustained  by  the  death  of  your 
late  President,  and  has  directed  me  to  convey  to  you,  in  writing,  an  ex- 
pression of  their  feelings. 

Need  we  say,  brethren,  with  what  horror  we  received  the  news  of  the 
atrocious  murder  which  deprived  your  nation  of  its  chief  magistrate? 

We  had  watched  the  course  of  that  great  and  good  man;  we  had  seen 
him  raised,  in  the  providence  of  God,  to  be  the  liberator  of  an  oppressed 
race,  and,  after  years  of  war,  preparing  to  be  the  pacificator  of  his  coun- 
try, as  full  of  clemency  in  the  hour  of  the  triumph  of  his  cause  as  he  had 
been  steady  in  carrying  on  the  deadly  struggle.  We  were  rejoicing  with 
him  and  with  you  that  at  last  peace  was  dawning  again  on  your  country, 
when  suddenly  we  were  called  to  mourn  and  weep  with  you. 

May  God  sustain  you  in  this  national  bereavement,  and  make  all  your 
afSictions  fruitful  of  good  for  your  people  I 

As  to  Abraham  Lincoln,  he  neither  lived  nor  died  in  vain.   A  Christian ' 


COMMITTEES.  239 

life  like  his,  humbly  devoted  to  the  right  and  to  humanity,  made  great  by 
great  and  good  deeds,  and  crowned  with  a  martyr's  crown,  adds  to  the 
moral  wealth  of  mankind,  is  an  immortal  honor  to  your  nation,  and  an 
evidence  of  the  truth  and  power  of  our  common  faith  such  as  no  words 
could  ever  give. 
By  order,  and  in  the  name,  of  the  Waldensian  Synod. 

Leon  Pilatte,  the  President 

Hay,  1865. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  from  the  committee  on  Nominations, 
reported  as  follows :  — 

COMMITTEE  ON  MINISTERIAL  SUPPORT. 

Hon.  Edward  D.  Holton,  of  Wisconsin;  Rev.  Hiram  Elmer,  of  Mich- 
igan; Rev.  Edwin  N.  Lewis,  of  Illinois;  Marshall  S.  Scudder,  Esq.,  of 
Massachusetts;  Dea.  Selden  M.  Pratt,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  William 
Salter,  d.d.,  of  Iowa;  David  S.  Williams,  Esq.,  of  New  York. 

COMMITTEE  ON  BENEVOLENT  SOCIETIES. 

Rev.  William  A.  Stearns,  d.d.,  of  Massachusetts;  Rev.  Joel  H.  Lins- 
ley,  D.D.,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  Wooster  Parker,  of  Maine;  Rev.  Jere- 
miah Butler,  of  New  York;  Rev.  Calvin  B.  Cady,  of  Vermont;  Martin 
Wright,  of  Illinois;  Rev.  Henry  A.  Miner,  of  Wisconsin. 

Rev.  Dr.  Hopkins,  of  Massachusetts,  asked  to  be  excused 
from  serving  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  Collegiate  and 
Theological  Education,  and  by  vote  of  the  Council  he  was  ex- 
cused, and,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  nominating  commit- 
tee. Rev.  Seth  Sweetser,  d.  d.,  of  Massachusetts,  appointed  in 
his  place. 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  of  New  York,  in  behalf  of  the 
Messrs.  Hook,  organ-builders,  tendered  an  invitation  to  the 
Council  to  attend  an  exhibition  of  their  last  and  best  organ  at 
the  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  to-morrow,  at  five 
o'clock. 

Mr.  Bowen,  of  New  York,  from  the  committee  on  the  Estab- 
lishment of  a  Congregational  Church  in  tlie  city  of  Washington, 
submitted  the  following  resolution :  — 

Besolved,  That  the  authorities  of  the  American  Congregational  Union 

be  advised  and  requested  to  take  into  consideration  the  importance  of  a 

well-sustained  Congregational  church  in  the  city  of  Washington,  and 

.  having  ascertained  What  facilities  there  are  for  the  establishment  of  such 

a  church,  and  what  aid  will  be  necessary,  to  institute  such  arrangements, 


240  STATE    OF   THE   COUNTRY. 

according  to  their  best  judgment  and  discretion,  for  building  or  purchas- 
ing a  suitable  edifice  in  the  national  capital,  in  which  a  Congregational 
church  may  maintain  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  public  worship 
of  God. 

Rev.  Dr.  Axderson,  of  Massachusetts.  It  would  be  rather  conven- 
ient if  that  resolution  could  lie  on  the  table  for  a  little  while.  There  is 
another  object,  not  in  conflict  with  this,  and  yet  upon  which  it  might  be 
well  to  consult  before  this  matter  is  brought  before  the  Council. 

No  objection  being  made,  the  resolution  was  laid  on  the 
table. 

The  committee  on  the  State  of  the  Country  were  then  called 
upon  for  their  report,  and  it  was  read  by  Rev.  Truman  M. 
Post,  D.  D.,  of  Missouri,  the  chairman,  as  follows :  — 

miereas,  In  the  beginnings  of  our  national  history,  the  God  of  onr 
fathers  brought  them,  the  confessors  of  civil  and  religious  lil)erty,  to 
these  shores,  and  gave  to  them  to  plant  the  germs  of  a  free  Christian 
civilization  for  a  new  world;  and, 

Whereas,  After  the  lapse  of  more  than  two  centuries,  during  which 
that  civilization  has  extended  over  vast  regions,  and  to  the  shores  of  the 
Western  Ocean;  and  at  the  close  of  a  terrible  civil  war,  we,  the  repre- 
sentatives of  churches  adhering  to  the  religious  faith  and  order  of  those 
fathers,  and  witnesses  in  our  times  of  the  marvelous  judgments  and 
deliverances  of  God,  have  been  gathered  by  his  hand,  from  the  breadth 
of  a  continent,  to  this  cradle  of  our  national  life,  as  a  National  Eccle- 
siastical Council,  in  a  crisis  of  solemn  moment  for  the  future  of  our 
country  and  the  kingdom  of  God:  we,  therefore,  feel  it  befitting  the 
capacity  in  which  we  are  assembled,  and  the  hour  in  which  we  stand,  to 
make  the  following  utterances  in  regard  to  our  country  in  this  juncture 
of  its  history. 

First  of  all,  humbling  ourselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  in 
contrite  acknowledgment  of  the  righteousness  of  his  awful  judgments 
afflicting  our  entire  people,  we  yet  record  our  grateful  trust  in  his  in- 
finite mercy  and  everlasting  truth,  and  we  do  in  his  presence  this  day, 
thus 

Besolve,  Fii^st,  That  for  the  deliverance  of  our  nation  from  the  insur- 
gent and  anarchical  power  that  treacherously  and  remorselessly  sought 
its  life;  for  the  preservation  of  our  Union  and  of  the  integrity  of  our 
territory;  for  the  triumph  of  right  over  wrong,  of  liberty  over  slavery, 
and  of  lawful  government  over  usurpation ;  for  the  redemption  — 
though  at  a  terrible  cost  —  of  our  country  from  the  curse  of  slavery, 
and  for  the  emancipation  of  four  millions  of  our  fellow-men  from  bond- 
age; for  the  faith  and  hope,  the  intrepidity  and  endurance,  given  to  our 
people  in  the  days  of  cjilamity;  for  their  patient  and  unstinted  sacrifice 
of  blood  and  treasure  for  the  right,  and  their  unwearied  labor  and  lil)er- 
ality  in  works  of  Christian  sympathy  and  beneficence;  and  for  the  final, 


STATE   OF  THE   COUNTRY.  241 

crowning  victory  granted  to  our  arms;  we  do  this  day  ascribe  praise  and 
glory  to  the  Lord  of  hosts.  We  also  render  thanks  to  the  Lord  that  he 
has  given  to  the  members  of  our  government  —  administrative  and 
legislative — a  faith  that  has  never  despaired  of  the  republic,  and  a 
patience,  courage,  and  sagacity  that  have  not  only  triumphantly  upborne 
us  in  the  agonism  of  this  rebellion,  but  guided  us  safely  through  compli- 
cations threatening  us  with  foreign  war. 

We  offer  thanks  to  our  brave  defenders,  by  land  and  sea,  whose  hero- 
ism has,  through  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  achieved  for  us  the  victory;  and 
we  invoke  for  them,  living  or  lying  with  the  glorious  dead,  the  love  and 
honor,  and,  for  the  widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  have  fallen,  the 
generous  protection  and  fostering  care,  of  a  grateful  people;  and  we 
regard  the  rendering  of  this  in  the  light  of  a  most  sacred  debt  of  the 
republic. 

Besolved,  That  we  profoundly  sympathize  with  the  grief  and  horror 
of  the  nation  at  the  assassination  of  its  late  beloved  chief  magistrate, 
Abraham  Lincoln,  and  with  that  sentiment  of  our  countrymen  and 
of  the  civilized  world  which  now  places  him  among  the  foremost  in  the 
ranks  of  the  martyrs  for  liberty  and  hmnanity  in  the  history  of  mankind. 

Besolved^  That  we  extend  to  his  honored  successor.  President  Andrew 
Johnson,  assurances  of  our  earnest  sympathy  and  hearty  co-operation 
in  the  momentous  and  arduous  work  devolved  on  him,  by  God,  of  the 
restoration  of  order  and  tranquillity  to  the  country  after  the  shock  and 
ruin  of  this  war,  and  of  reconstruction,  where  needed,  on  the  eternal 
principles  of  truth,  liberty,  and  justice;  and  of  so  closing  up  the  bloody 
gulf  of  this  rebellion  that  neither  treason  nor  ambition  shall  ever  re- 
open it 

Besolved,  That  we  regard  rebellion  against  a  government  so  just,  be- 
nign, and  beneficent  as  ours;  so  incorporated  with  the  essential  rights  of 
man  and  the  hopes  of  human  liberty;  so  created  and  administered  by 
the  people  for  themselves,  and  sheltering  a  prosperity  so  vast  and  so 
brilliant;  as  a  crime  transcending  the  enormity  of  treason  recorded  in 
the  history  of  other  countries,  or  of  conspiracy  against  other  forms  of 
political  order ;  as  a  crime  against  freedom,  civilization,  and  human 
nature  itself;  and  we  feel  that  it  is  due  from  our  government  in  its  final 
adjudication  upon  this  highest  of  crimes,  that,  while  blending  mercy 
with  justice,  it  shall  so  deal  with  treason  that  the  sense  of  its  guiltiness 
be  not  impaired,  and  that  of  the  majesty  of  law  and  the  divine  sanction 
of  legitimate  government  be  sustained  in  the  mind  of  the  nation. 

Besolved,  That  wrongs  committed  against  our  people  and  our  soldiers, 
beyond  the  measure  of  the  laws  of  war,  —  such  as  assassination,  arson, 
introduction  of  pestilence,  the  massacre  of  captives,  and  the  deliberate 
and  systematic  slow  murder  of  tens  of  thousands  of  prisoners  by  ex- 
posure and  starvation,  —  are  crimes  that  can  find  no  shelter  under  the 
pretext  of  being  "political  offences,"  and  are  beyond  the  pale  of  amnes- 
ties, challenging  upon  their  authors,  whenever  and  wherever  lawfully 
convicted,  justice  from  oiu:  own  government  as  well  as  the  wrath  of 

Heaven. 

16 


242  STATE   OF   THE   COUNTRY. 

Resolved^  That  we  regard  the  late  civil  war  as  the  judgment  of  Heayen 
upon  slavery,  and  upon  a  nation  in  complicity  with  its  mighty  wrongs; 
a  judgment  punishing  our  practical  infraction  of  our  social  and  political 
life-principles,  and  demonstrating  that  such  infraction  is  national  suicide. 

Besolved^  That  justice,  honor,  the  maintenance  of  loyal  control  in  the 
lately  revolted  States,  and  the  safety  of  the  nation,  and  gratitude  for 
their  eminent  military  and  other  services  rendered  during  the  war,  im- 
peratively require  that  we  deal  in  a  spirit  of  Christian  sympathy  and 
charity,  and  of  a  generous  humanity,  with  a  race  held  by  this  people 
two  hundred  years  in  bondage,  and  now  thrust  upon  the  perils  and  trials 
of  new  liberty ;  and  that  we  see  to  it  that  they  be  protected  and  fortified 
in  their  new  status  by  intellectual  and  religious  culture,  and  the  rights 
of  the  elective  franchise,  and  all  the  privileges  of  freemen. 

Besolvedy  That  while  we  hail  with  gratitude  the  fact,  that,  by  the 
removal  of  slavery,  and  the  social  and  ecclesiastical  conditions  allied  with 
it,  vast  regions  are  newly  opened  to  a  pure  and  free  gospel,  we,  more- 
over, believe  that  by  this  war  the  mind  of  the  nation  at  large,  having 
been  stirred  to  its  depths  by  passion  and  suffering  and  the  manifest 
tokens  of  a  present  God  and  a  divine  government  in  human  affairs,  has 
been  thereby  prepared  for  profounder  convictions  of  Christian  truth,  and 
larger  effusions  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  for  a  vaster  religious  movement 
than  in  the  past 

Besolvcd,  That  we  also  at  the  same  time  recognize  with  solicitude  the 
hazard,  that  from  the  disturbance  or  dissolution  of  old  order,  and  from 
the  shock  given  to  former  habitudes  and  ideas,  and  from  new  practices 
and  modes  of  thought  and  feeling  generated  by  the  war,  conditions  of  the 
popular  mind  may  arise,  that,  unless  illumined  and  restrained  and  guided 
by  education  and  Christian  truth,  may  project  us  upon  courses  wild,  rev- 
olutionary, and  ruinous. 

Resolved^  therefore.  That  in  view  of  the  above  facts,  we  regard  the 
present  as  a  crisis  in  this  nation's  life,  demanding  the  immediate  appli- 
ance of  the  most  eflective  means  of  education  and  evangelization  in  our 
power,  and  that  amid  the  agencies,  creative  and  organic,  of  social  and 
political  reconstruction  on  the  eternal  foundations  of  Eight  and  Liberty 
and  Truth,  we  regard  as  most  effective  and  beneficent  the  religious  Faith 
and  Order  of  our  Forefathers,  —  agencies  primordial  to  our  national  life, 
and  approved  in  history  as  the  most  powerful  of  vitalizing  and  conserva- 
tive forces;  and  we  therefore  deem  it  as  due  to  the  perpetuity  of  our 
national  well-being,  that  the  churches  which  inherit  that  Faith  and  Order 
should  endeavor  to  diffuse  them  throughout  the  extent  of  our  coimtry, 
and  especially  to  those  sections  now  in  social  and  political  ruin. 

Resolved,  That  we  who  are  now  placed  on  this  hight  of  history,  and 
who  have  been  permitted  to  behold  great  and  terrible  things  which  oui 
fathers  have  not  seen,  having  emerged  from  the  stormy  deeps  of  a  civil 
war,  and  standing  on  the  verge  of  a  vast  and  mysterious  continent  of 
the  future,  do  this  day  lift  the  psalm  of  thanksgiving  where  our  fathers 
lifted  it,  mingling,  as  did  theirs,  with  the  roar  of  the  Atlantic  surge,  to 
Him  that  sitteth  King  and  Lord  for  evermore;  and  we  commit  our  be- 


STATE   OF  THE   COUNTRY.  248 

loved  country  to  him  in  humble  prayer,  that  as  he  has  been  the  God  of 
our  fathers,  so  he  will  be  our  God  and  the  God  of  our  children  and  our 
children's  children,  —  even  till  above  our  national  starry  emblem  shall 
be  seen  in  heaven  the  sign  of  the  second  coming  of  the  Son  of  man. 
Signed,  T.  M.  Post,  J.  C.  Webster, 

Seth  May,  A.  Fish, 

James  D.  Bell,  E.  D.  Holton, 

A.  C.  Barstow,  a.  B.  Bobbins, 

Dudley  R.  Wheeler,  Charles  Seccombe, 
Henry  Morris,  S.  C.  Pomeroy, 

O.  E.  Daggett,  E.  M.  Lewis, 

J.  M.  Holmes,  L.  P.  Fisher, 

Edward  Hawes,  Geo.  H.  Atkinson, 

Abner  H.  Bryant,       W.  W.  Crawford, 
Edwin  Johnson,  Milan  Harris, 

J.  A.  Thome,  Committee. 

Rev.  Mr.  Savage,  of  Illinois.  We  all  of  us  believe  that  our  beloved 
President,  Abraham  Lincoln,  was  made  what  he  was  largely  by  the 
prayers  of  God's  people;  and  I  feel  that  we  ought,  in  connection  with 
this  report,  to  unite  in  special  prayer  for  President  Johnson. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  No  one  admires  more  the  com- 
prehensive wisdom  of  that  report  than  I  do;  no  one  was  more  gratified 
at  the  various  tributes  which  were  rendered  to  the  difierent  classes  who  • 
were  mentioned  in  it  than  I  was;  but  there  is  one  class,  it  seems  to  me, 
that  has  been  neglected,  that  should  have  the  most  earnest  tribute  of  this 
body;  and  that  is,  the  women  of  our  country,  whose  patriotism,  whose 
energy,  whose  fidelity,  whose  humanity,  whose  beneficence,  have  been 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  world.  [Loud  applause.]  I  hope 
that  a  resolution  may  be  incorporated  with  the  rest,  significant  of  that 
wonderful  part  of  our  history  and  the  history  of  the  world. 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  of  New  York.  I  am  very  thankful 
for  those  resolutions,  —  for  every  word  in  them ;  I  only  ask  that  there 
be  more  such.  And  especially  one  resolution,  which  should  cover  a 
ground  which  I  think  has  not  even  been  alluded  to.  There  have  been 
thousands  and  thousands  of  loyal  men  in  all  the  rebellious  States,  who 
have  taken  their  lives  in  their  hands,  and  have  endured  incalculable 
misery.  They  have  been  chronic  martyrs  in  this  great  cause.  We 
ought  not  to  forget  them.  Besides  that,  it  seems  to  me,  now  that  the 
rel>ellion  is  broken,  that  the  common  people  of  the  South,  who  have  been 
duped  and  deceived,  by  their  ignorance  made  the  easy  creatures  of  their 
loaders,  ought  to  receive  from  us  some  assurance  of  kindness,  of  hope- 
fulness, that  they  may  not  feel  that  there  is  rancor  in  our  hearts  toward 
them.  While  their  leaders  should  be  given  to  justice,  it  seems  to  me 
that  we  ought  to  express  a  kind  and  sympathetic  feeling  toward  those 
who  have  been  misled  by  them  in  the  South.  With  a  recognition  of  the 
loyal  citizens  of  the  South,  and  also  some  kind  remembrance  of  the 
2ommon  people,  I  know  not  how  that  report  could  be  bettered. 


244  STATE   OF   THE    COUNTRY. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts.  I  would  move  that  the  report  be 
referred  back  to  the  committee.  There  may  be  some  other  matters  to 
be  rectified,  which  would  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  committee, 
if  it  were  reconunitted.  For  instance,  it  seems  to  me  there  ought  to  be 
some  recognition  of  the  vast  amount  of  work  performed  in  the  army  by 
volunteers,  for  it  was  invaluable  in  its  influence  upon  the  soldiers  and 
the  nation.  And  then,  moreover,  I  would  suggest  whether  we  are  not 
bound  to  have  some  reference  to  our  friends  in  foreign  lands,  —  such 
men  as  the  Rev.  Dr.  Raleigh  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Massie,  who  are  with  us, 
and  who  fought  our  battles  in  the  midst  of  the  opposition  of  our  enemies 
in  Europe.     [Loud  applause.] 

Rev.  E.  P.  Marvin,  of  Massachusetts.  There  is  another  suggestion. 
I  have  heard  nothing  special  about  our  colored  friends  at  the  South,  and 
their  remarkable  loyalty  and  fidelity;  but  if  there  are  any  persons  in 
this  country  to  whom  we  are  peculiarly  indebted,  under  God,  for  our 
success,  it  is  to  them. 

Rev.  Dr.  Linsley,  of  Connecticut.  I  want  to  know  if  this  report  is 
presented  as  the  unanimous  action  of  the  committee? 

Rev.  Dr.  Post,  of  Missouri.  I  will  answer  that.  It  was  the  report 
of  all  we  could  get  together  this  morning.  I  may  be  permitted  to  state, 
Mr.  Moderator,  that  there  is  much  that  ought  to  be  said  that  can  not  be 
said  there,  unless  you  write  a  history  of  the  war.  (Laughter  and  ap- 
plause.) We  can  not  pay  tribute  to  everybody  to  whom  we  owe  it,  for,  I 
thank  the  great  Giver  of  helpers  to  us,  we  have  those  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  all  the  world  over.  Are  not  the  women  of  this  country  in- 
cluded among  "  the  people  "  to  whom  we  render  thanks  for  their  liber- 
ality and  for  their  sympathy?  I  had  in  view  the  Christian  Commission 
in  the  words  I  employed  there;  I  could  not  spread  out  the  thought  with- 
out making  a  report  to  which  I  believed  your  patience  would  be  inade- 
quate. 

Rev.  Mr.  Thome,  of  Ohio.  As  a  member  of  the  committee,  I  desire 
to  say,  that  I  hope  action  will  be  taken  now.  We  shall  never  be  better 
able  to  act  with  unanimity  and  cordiality  than  we  are  at  this  time.  I 
cordially  join  in  the  suggestion,  that  after  the  adoption  of  the  report,  we 
unite  in  prayer. 

The  Moderator  (Hon.  C.  G.  Hammond).  The  chair  would  suggest, 
that  it  is  perfectly  proper  to  adopt  the  resolutions  oflered,  if  Dr.  Kirk 
will  withdraw  his  motion,  and  then,  if  other  parties  wish  to  introduce 
these  other  topics,  they  can  do  so. 

Dr.  KiTLK  said  he  would  withdraw  his  motion,  his  object  having  been 
accomplished. 

Hon.  Mr.  Pomeroy,  of  Kansas.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  in  a 
single  resolution  or  two  resolutions  the  committee  could  report  what 
would  be  acceptable  to  everybody.  Our  only  eflbrt  was  to  hit  upon 
some  general  topics  on  which  we  could  all  agree,  and  report  them  to  the 
Council.  The  fact  is,  the  report  would  suit  me  better  if  we  spoke  out  a 
little  more  plainly  about  hanging  somebody.  [Applause.]  I  am  very 
willing  to  mingle  our  justice  with  mercy  to  the  common  people  of  the 


INVITATION   FROM   THE  PILGRIM   SOCIETY.  245 

South,  as  has  been  suggested  by  our  friend  Henry  Ward  Beecher;  but 
it  does  seem  to  me  it  is  time  somebody  was  hung.  (Applause.)  Some 
wholesome  hanging,  I  think,  would  have  settled  this  question  in  the 
minds  of  the  American  people  long  ago;  and  I  do  not  believe  that  a 
convention,  even  of  this  character,  composed  largely  of  clergymen,  — 
men  who  love  forgiveness  and  mercy,  —  would  be  harmed  if  it  adopted  a 
little  stiffer  resolution  on  this  question.  I  will  only  say,  that  I  yielded 
to  this  report,  on  that  question,  for  the  sake  of  harmony,  because  I 
thought  everybody  would  go  for  it;  I  never  supposed  that  anybody 
would  want  to  temper  it  more  mildly.  If  the  report  is  adopted,  I  will 
take  it  upon  myself  to  offer  a  resolution  expressing  my  own  views  on  the 
subject 

Rev.  H.  W.  Beecher,  of  New  York.  I  would  inquire  if  other  mat- 
ters can  be  added  to  the  report,  after  it  is  adopted? 

The  Moderator.    Yes,  sir. 

The  question  was  then  put,  and  the  report  adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter  read  the  following  invitation  from  the 
trustees  of  the  Pilgrim  Society,  Plymouth,  which  was  8,0- 
cepted :  — 

To  the  Congregational  Council:  — 

Gentlemen,  —  In  anticipation  of  your  intended  visit  to  Plymouth, 
June  22d,  in  behalf  of  the  trustees  of  the  Pilgrim  Society,  you  are 
invited  to  visit  Pilgrim  Hall.  It  will  be  open  on  that  day  for  your  re- 
ception, and  a  committee  will  be  appointed  to  accompany  the  different 
sections  to  places  of  interest 

(Signed)  Timothy  Gordon, 

One  of  the  TriLStees, 
Boston,  Jnne  19. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  of  the  committee  on  Nominations, 
reported  the  following  committees,  heretofore  ordered,  and  the 
reports  were  adopted :  — 

committee  on  books  and  tracts. 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  of  New  York;  Rey.  Leonard  Bacon,  d.d., 
of  Connecticut;  Lowell  Mason,  jr.,  of  New  Jersey. 

committee   on  communications  from  ITALY. 

Rev.  Edward  N.  Kirk,  d.d.,  of  Massachusetts;  Rev.  Julian  M.  Stur- 
tevant,  d.  d.,  of  Illinois;  Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  D.  D.,  of  Illinois. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  the  Business  Committee,  oflFered  a  report, 
recommending  that  the  business  for  to-morrow  be  the  hearing 


246  TITLE  OF   "CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCHES.*' 

of  the  report  of  the  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the 
report  on  the  Evangelization  of  the  West  and  South ;  that  the 
whole  day  be  given  to  its  discussion,  if  necessary ;  that  all 
the  speakers  be  limited  to  twelve  minutes ;  that,  if  the  discus- 
sion be  not  closed  at  five  o'clock,  an  evening  session  be  held, 
at  eight  o'clock ;  and  that  the  consideration  of  the  subject  be 
ended  to-morrow. 

The  report  was  adopted. 

The  moderator  then  called  for  the  report  of  the  committee 
to  whom  was  referred  the  communication  from  the  Massachu- 
setts Convention  of  Congregational  Ministers ;  and  it  was  read 
by  the  chairman,  Rev.  A.  H.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

REPOKT. 

"  The  Massachusetts  Convention  of  Congregational  Ministers  "  re- 
quests this  Council  "to  use  such  language  in  their  proceedings  as  a 
Trinitarian  Congregational  Council,  as  shall  recognize  the  fact  that  there 
are  Unitarian  and  other  Congregational  churches  in  this  Commonwealth." 
In  addition  to  this  communication  there  has  appeared  in  the  public  prints, 
though  not  laid  before  this  body,  a  protest  against  the  terms  of  the  call 
for  the  assembling  of  this  Council,  as  imperiling  interests  valuable  to 
the  members  of  a  body  styled  a  "  Ministerial  Conference,"  in  whose  be- 
half it  is  signed.  The  eminent  standing  and  character  of  the  persons 
who  sincerely  feel  that  a  real  grievance  would  be  occasioned  by  the 
course  against  which  they  protest,"  as  well  as  the  respect  due  to  the 
denomination  which  this  Council  represents,  requires  a  just  and  deliberate 
avowal  of  the  grounds  upon  which  we  use  the  title  of  "  Congregational 
Churches  of  the  United  States." 

Our  denomination  is  the  same  with  that  of  the  first  churches  of  New 
England.  We  trace  back  our  lineage  in  an  uninterrupted  line  to  that 
period.  The  same  fellowship  has  been  perpetuated,  based  upon  a  par- 
ticular system  of  doctrines  and  polity,  to  which  we  now  hold.  The 
denomination  which  we  represent  has  thus  had  a  distinct  and  recognized 
existence,  as  clear  as  history  can  make  any  historical  fact,  by  all  requisite 
limitations  and  declarations.  - 

This  denomination  has  always  had  the  distinctive  name  of  "  Congre- 
gational churches." 

It  is  needless  to  quote  authorities;  for,  from  the  days  of  John  Cotton, 
the  name  Congregational  was  used  to  designate  a  particular  denomina- 
tion, of  a  fkith  well  defined  and  now  unchanged,  as  well  as  a  peculiar 
polity.  Nor  did  any  others,  so  far  as  we  can  learn,  though  holding  the 
same  polity,  assume  that  name  while  not  belonging  to  this  denomina- 
tion. This  distinctive  denominational  name  is  still  our  heritage  from  the 
fathers. 


TITLE   OF   "  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES,"  247 

It  is  true  that  some  other  churches  now  hold  the  same  polity,  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree  of  strictness,  while  differing  from  us  in  points  of 
doctrine.  In  addition  to  some  Unitarian  churches.  Baptists,  Free- Will 
Baptists,  and  Universalis ts  hold  similar  views  of  church  polity.  But 
it  is  an  historical  fact,  that  in  America  these  denominations  came  into 
existence  after  the  denomination  which  we  represent  had  acquired  an 
undisputed  right  to  the  title  which  we  still  hold. 

Some  of  the  churches  formerly  in  our  denomination  became  separated 
from  it  early  in  the  present  century,  by  reasons  of  convictions  which  led 
them  to  renounce  the  doctrinal  principles  which  were  and  are  essential 
to  the  fellowship  of  this  denomination,  as  declared  by  our  platforms,  and 
established  by  uninterrupted  practice  from  the  days  of  our  fathers.  But 
the  separation  of  a  section  in  Massachusetts,  where  its  chief  strength  lay, 
which,  in  1820,  numbered,  so  far  as  can  be  learned,  but  a  small  portion 
of  the  denomination,  does  not,  it  seems  to  us,  deprive  the  old  and  recog- 
nized denomination  of  its  ancestral  name.  That  some  separating  churches 
may  retain  the  same  kind  of  government  does  not  affect  the  fact  that  they 
do  not  belong  to  the  denomination  which  has  always  kept  its  distinctive 
title.  Nor  does  such  a  secession  or  separation  render  it  at  all  necessary 
that  the  denomination  should  either  give  up  its  old  name,  or  add  any 
distinctive  prefix.  When  the  Wesleyans  left  the  Church  of  England,  the 
latter  was  not  called  upon  to  modify  its  title.  When  the  Protestant 
Methodists  separated  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  that  church 
took  no  new  name.  When  several  bodies  of  Presbyterians  were  sepa- 
rated from  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States,  that  body  re- 
tained unquestioned  its  old  designation,  although  the  seceding  bodies 
held  the  same  views  of  church  polity.  The  separating  portion  might 
well  adopt  a  new  title;  but  the  denomination  remaining  needed  no 
change,  nor  could  any  be  rightfully  demanded. 

We  find  it  also  to  be  a  fact,  that  the  churches,  in  whose  behalf  complaint 
is  made,  have  as  a  denomination,  deliberately  adopted  a  new  title.  In 
their  oflicial  capacity,  a  recent  convention,  representing  the  Unitarian 
churches,  wholly  ignored  the  term  Congregational,  and,  as  "  Christian 
churches  of  the  Unitarian  faith,"  organized  a  permanent  body  styled 
"  The  National  Conference  of  Unitarian  Churches."  It  is  thus  evident 
that  there  can  be  no  conflict  whatever  to  cause  confusion  or  misunder- 
standing between  the  two  denominations. 

We  are  also  unable  to  find  that  the  Unitarian  churches  require  ad- 
herence to  the  Congregational  platform  as  a  condition  of  denominational 
fellowship.  Many  of  their  churches  are  said  to  be  Independent,  not 
Congregational.  In  some  places  church  organizations  have  been  utterly 
abandoned,  as  seems  to  have  been  recognized  in  the  call  for  their  recent 
convention,  which  asked  delegates  from  societies  as  well  as  churches. 

While  stating  that  as  a  denomination  we  hold  a  denominational  name 
to  which  no  other  lays  claim,  and  which  the  parties  complaining  do  not 
assert  belongs  to  any  other  denomination,  we  are  far  from  denying  that 
there  are  other  particular  churches  which  maintain  the  same  polity  with 
ourselves.    This  fact  was  distinctly  recognized  in  the  call  under  which 


248  TITLE   OF   "  CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCHES." 

this  Council  is  assembled.  That  call  was  addressed  to  "  those  Congre- 
gational churches  in  the  United  States  which  are  in  recognized  fellowship 
and  co-operation  through  the  general  associations,  conferences,  or  con- 
ventions, in  the  several  States."  How  far  this  may  extend,  it  is  clear 
that  it  recognizes  that  there  are  Congregational  churches  other  than  these. 
We  do  not  see  how  any  doubt  could  exist  as  to  what  churches  were  in- 
tended. It  would  be  idle  to  say  that  any  churches  are  in  recognized  fel- 
lowship through  the  Massachusetts  Convention  of  Congregational  Minis- 
ters. Indeed,  the  fact  that  only  those  of  our  denomination  have  appeared 
shows  that  the  call  was  sufficiently  understood. 

We  see  no  reason,  therefore,  why  we  should  prefix  the  term  Trinitarian 
to  the  name  of  our  denomination.  We  are  no  more  Trinitarian  than  we 
are  Unitarian.  If  we  prefix  Trinitarian  to  distinguish  us  from  Unitarians 
and  Universalists,  we  must  take  some  other  prefixes  to  distinguish  us 
from  Baptists  and  Free- Will  Baptists.    We  see  no  need  of  either. 

But  inasmuch  as  it  appears  that  some  of  those  who  protest  have  par- 
ticularly in  view  a  fear  lest,  if  they  adhere  to  the  name  of  their  denomina- 
tion as  recently  officially  promulgated,  and  we  adhere  to  the  name  of 
ours,  some  rights  of  theirs  to  property,  held  under  the  name  of  Congre- 
gational, may  be  jeopardized,  we  do  now  declare  that  we  should  deem  it 
dishonorable  and  unchristian  to  interfere  with  any  of  their  present  rights 
to  funds  or  other  property  under  whatever  name  their  holders  act,  or  to 
attempt  to  pervert  funds  given  for  one  kind  of  religious  doctrine  to  the 
use  of  another,  whether  in  colleges,  churches,  or  other  bodies.  And  we 
distinctly  put  on  record,  that,  from  our  retaining  our  old  name  of  **  Con- 
gregational," without  any  modification  or  prefix,  —  as  we  intend  to  do,  — 
there  should  be  no  inference  whatever  drawn  to  the  legal  prejudice  of 
any  bodies  not  in  our  fellowship,  as  to  any  fUnds  or  other  property  to 
w^hich  those  bodies  lay  claim. 

We  are  happy  to  know  that  so  many  of  these  churches  still  retain  the 

old  polity.    And  whenever  their  convictions  of  duty  will  allow  them  to 

stand  on  the  old  platform  of  faith,  of  their  and  our  fathers,  gladly  will 

we  feel  that  we  are  one  again. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Alonzo  H.  Quint,) 

W.  T.  EusTis,  Jr.,  >  Cmnmittee, 

Asa  Freeman,       ) 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  I  move  to  strike  out  that  portion  of 
the  report  which  says,  "  We  are  no  more  Trinitarian  than  we  are  Unita- 
rian." It  is  sure  to  be  misunderstood  in  some  quarters.  That  is  the 
only  objection. 

This  motion  was  not  seconded,  and  the  question  being  put, 
the  report  was  adopted  unanimously,  and,  on  motion  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Eustis,  of  Connecticut,  it  was  ordered,  that  it  be  tran- 
scribed, and  forwarded  to  the  Massachusetts  Convention  of 
Congregational  Ministers. 


CHURCH   IN   WASHINGTON.  '  249 

A  CONGREGATIONAL  HOUSE. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  the  committee  on  Business,  presented 
the  following  resolution  :  — 

Sesolved^  TRat  the  Kational  Congregational  Council  are  pleased  to 
learn  that  the  American  Congregational  Society  has  undertaken  to  erect 
a  Congregational  House  in  the  city  of  Boston,  as  a  suitable  memorial 
of  the  present  meeting,  which  shall  serve  as  a  secure  repository  for  our 
Congregational  literature,  in  a  National  Library,  —  as  a  place  of  resort 
for  our  brethren,  coming  to  this  ancient  home  of  the  denomination  and 
the  fathers,  and  also  as  a  convenient  center  of  operations,  designed  to 
promote  a  knowledge  of  our  principles  and  polity,  and  the  unity  and  fel- 
lowship of  our  churches  throughout  the  land;  and  while  this  object, 
involving  an  outlay  of  8100,000,  is  commended  first  of  all  to  the  enter- 
prising citizens  of  Boston  and  vicinity,  with  whom  it  originated,  it  is  also 
cordially  commended  to  the  liberal  co-operation  of  our  churches  through- 
out the  land. 

Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Moderator,  —  I  do  not 
think,  at  this  stage  of  the  business,  that  it  is  proper  to  enter  into  any 
explanation  with  regard  to  this  object  I  ought,  however,  to  explain 
why  I  objected  to  the  passage  of  the  resolution  proposed  just  now.  I 
had  been  detained  from  the  meeting,  to  discharge  the  duty  of  chairman 
of  a  committee  from  the  American  Congregational  Association,  and  on 
coming  into  the  house,  I  was  told  that  there  was  a  proposition  coming 
before  this  body  to  raise  $100,000  for  a  church  in  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton, and  very  likely  it  might  be  well  to  have  some  imderstanding  before 
these  two  propositions  came  before  your  body.  On  further  explanation, 
however,  I  became  convinced  that  there  was  no  reason  for  objecting  to 
that  proposition  at  all.  In  regard  to  this  resolution,  I  do  not  propose  to 
make  any  remarks  upon  it  at  the  present  time,  but  would  propose  that  it 
be  referred  to  a  special  committee,  to  report  to  this  body. 

The  resolution  was  so  referred. 

CHURCH  IN  WASHINGTON. 

The  resolution  in  regard  to  the  establishment  of  a  Congrega- 
tional Church  in  Washington,  was  then  taken  from  the  table. 

Rev.  Dr.  Stijrtevant,  of  Illinois.  I  only  wish  to  say,  that  there  is 
a  very  serious  doubt  in  my  mind  in  regard  to  entering  into  this  matter 
of  church-building  with  a  view  to  any  particular  place,  —  even  Wash- 
ington city.  The  question  is,  whether  it  would  not  be  much  better  to 
take  up  the  matter  as  a  whole,  —  the  subject  of  church-building  in  Wash- 
ington included,  —  than  to  take  up  each  place  separately.  I  can  not 
obtain  the  consent  of  my  own  mind,  at  this  present  moment,  to  vote  for 
that  proposition,  in  the  shape  in  which  it  is. 

Ilev.  Dr.  BuDiNGTON,  of  New  York.    Let  me  call  the  attention  of 


250  CI\T[L   RIGHTS    OF    REBELS. 

Dr.  Sturtevant  to  this  fact:  that  the  passage  of  the  resolution  does  not 
commit  us  to  any  thing  of  the  kind.  I  share  with  him  in  the  feeling  to 
which  he  has  given  utterance,  and  I  should  have  spoken  to  the  same  pup- 
port  if  there  had  been  any  thing  in  the  resolution  conflicting  with  the 
sentiments  which  he  has  expressed. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  the  resolution  was 
referred  to  the  committee  on  Church-Building. 
Adjourned. 

SIXTH  DAY,  TUESDAY,  JUNE  20. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order  at  9  o'clock,  a.m.,  and 
opened  by  prayer  from  the  moderator. 

The  journal  of  yesterday  was  read  by  the  scribe  and  ap- 
proved. 

CIVIL  RIGHTS  or  REBELS. 

Rev.  Dr.  Post,  of  Missouri.  It  was  the  tacit  understanding  yester- 
day, when  the  resohitions  from  the  committee  on  the  Stiite  of  the  Coun- 
try were  adopted,  that  I  should  prepare  two  or  three  more  which  should 
be  subjoined.  I  have  prepared  three  resohitions  for  that  purpose ;  but  I 
ofler  them  upon  my  own  personal  responsibility,  not  having  had  time  to 
consult  with  the  committee. 

The  Moderator  stated  that  under  the  rule  the  resolutions  must  come 
before  the  Council  through  the  Business  Committee. 

On  motion,  that  rule  was  suspended. 

Rev.  Dr.  Post  resumed.  These  resolutions  relate,  first  to  two  classes 
of  society  in  the  revolted  States  to  which  the  former  resolutions  made  no 
special  allusion,  and  were  therefore  objected  to.  There  was  also  objec- 
tion because  the  Sanitary  Commission  and  Christian  Commission  were 
not  alluded  to.  That  I  have  regarded  as  being  embraced  in  the  sub- 
stance of  the  resolutions.  I  have  thought  it  proper  to  add  a  resolution 
in  regard  to  the  services  and  sacrifices  of  the  women  of  the  country;  not 
because  I  did  not  before  design  to  embrace  them  among  the  people  of 
the  country.  I  felt  that  it  was  as  impossible  to  separate  the  services 
and  heroic  devotion  of  our  women  from  our  people,  in  this  war,  as  to 
separate  the  sun  from  the  light  of  day.  But  as  the  resolutions  were  not 
understood  as  distinctly  ascribing  credit  and  expressing  gratitude  to  this 
portion  of  our  people,  I  felt  that  it  would  be  my  pleasure  and  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  Convention  that  there  should  be  such  a  distinct  recognition; 
and  I  have  therefore  introduced  a  resolution  to  that  eflcct.  I  should  feel 
exceedingly  sorry,  —  I  should  feel  ashamed,  living  where  I  have  been  dur- 
ing the  years  of  this  war,  witnessing  what  I  have  witnessed  of  the  ser- 


CIVIL   CONDITION   OF    REBELS.  251 

vices  of  the  ladies  of  our  State,  which  have  rendered  dearer  to  me  the 
dearest  friends  I  have  on  earth,  if  I  could  be  supposed,  in  this  grave  body 
and  in  this  grave  crisis,  to  present  resolutions  which  should  omit  proper 
mention  and  honorable  mention  of  this  portion  of  our  brave  people. 
Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York.  At  the  request  of  Dr.  Post,  I 
will  be  to  him  what  Hobab  was  to  Moses,  —  I  will  be  eyes  unto  him. 
The  resolutions  are  these:  — 

Besolvedj  That  we  extend  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  late  revolted  States 
who  have  been  snared  into  this  rebellion  through  ignorance,  surprise,  or 
overbearing  violence  of  public  sentiment,  or  forced  by  the  power  of  a 
merciless  conscription,  our  sympathy  and  commiseration,  and  our  readi- 
ness to  welcome  them  back  to  civil  fellowship  and  fraternity  under  the  old 


Besolvedj  That  those  who  have  maintained  steadfast  loyalty  amid  gen- 
eral treason  and  revolt,  undaimted  by  popular  rage  or  despotic  violence, 
braving,  in  the  cause  of  the  country,  the  terrors  of  imprisonment,  torture, 
robbery,  and  starvation,  and  of  death  itself,  rank  amid  the  noblest  heroes 
and  martyrs  of  this  w^,  and  deserve  lasting  honor  and  gratitude. 

Besolvedy  That  the  heroic  devotion  and  self-sacrifice  of  the  loyal  women 
of  the  country,  during  this  war,  will  ever  be  gratefully  remembered  as 
having  been  of  vital  efficacy  to  the  triimiph  of  our  cause,  and  will  excite 
the  admiration  of  history,  as  examples  of  moral  beauty  and  sublimity, 
unsurpassed  in  human  story. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Mass.  I  wish  that  first  resolution  was  expressed 
a  little  differently,  —  at  least,  the  latter  part  of  it.  It  seems  to  me  a  little 
too  strong.  For  one,  I  am  not  prepared  to  now  welcome  back  those 
people  who  have  fought  against  us,  to  full  fellowship.  Persons  so  easily 
snared  through  ignorance  are  not  the  persons  to  be  welcomed  back  im- 
mediately to  full  civil  rights.  If  they  are,  as  sure  as  the  sun  shines  to- 
day, they  will  again  become  the  tools  of  those  leaders,  again  be  snared 
in  just  the  same  way,  and  again  support  the  same  sort  of  men.  They  are 
imfit  for  civil  rights  until  they  are  a  little  more  enlightened  and  intelligent 
Those  men  have  been  fighting  through  the  war  against  us.  They  are 
brave  men, — for  I  have  seen  something  of  their  work,  —  but  they  are 
imcommonly  stupid  and  ignorant.  They  do  not  know  any  thing  near  as 
much  as  the  blacks  there.  I  say  that  until  they  repent,  they  are  unfit 
to  come  back  and  be  trusted  with  a  vote.  Every  one  of  this  class  ought 
to  be  disfranchised  for  a  reasonable  time.  [Applause.]  I  move  to  strike 
out  the  last  clause. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois.  Why  not  let  it  read,  "  upon  evidence 
of  repentance  "  ? 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint.  Because  I  want  their  repentance  to  have  years  long 
enough  to  prove  itself  genuine.    [Applause.] 

Hoik  Mr.  Hammond.    "  On  evidence  of  genuine  repentance,"  then? 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint.  No,  —  that  is  not  enough;  I  want  it  fixed  that  that 
evidence  shall  be  by  waiting  long  enough  to  make  the  thing  clear  and  safe. 


252  FINANCIAL   REPORT. 

Rev.  Dr.  Post,  of  Missouri.  I  never  designed  to  convey  the  idea  that 
they  should  be  restored  to  citizenship  or  the  rights  of  franchise.  I  see  that 
the  resolution  may  be  misunderstood,  and  I  will  strike  out  the  word  "  civiL" 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint.  I  will  not  object  to  that,  for  one,  although  it  goes 
terribly  against  my  grain  ever  to  see  one  of  those  scoundrels  under  the 
old  flag  again.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee.  It  seems  to  me  that  even  with  that 
modification  the  idea  will  be  that  after  all  they  are  to  be  restored  to 
general  citizenship.  Upon  this  subject  I  think  the  Council  should  give 
no  uncertain  sound.  The  language,  even  as  it  now  stands,  conveys 
the  idea  that  we  are  willing  to  welcome  them  back  at  once  to  all  the 
rights  of  citizenship.  That  we  are  not  ready  to  do.  If  I  understand  the 
tone  of  public  sentiment,  we  are  not  ready  to  welcome  back  any  man  who 
has  borne  arms  or  held  a  civil  or  military  commission  against  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States.  [Applause.]  The  amendments  to  the 
Constitution  of  Missouri,  and  the  amendments  to  the  Constitution  of 
Tennessee,  from  which  State  I  now  come,  prescribe  a  term  of  years  be- 
fore even  the  rank  and  file,  with  all  the  evidence  of  repentance  they  can 
bring,  can  be  restored  again  to  the  right  of  suttrage.  [Applause.]  This 
is  as  it  should  be;  and  we  are  safe  in  no  other  way.  [Applause.]  Would 
that  these  views  might  ring  through  the  nation,  that  we  must  by  a  term 
of  years  give  space  for  repentance;  and  even  then  let  there  be  no  general 
law  by  which  they  shall  come  back,  but  let  evidence  be  required  of 
genuine  repentance.  [Renewed  applause.]  By  this  course  alone  can  we 
be  safe.  I  would  suggest,  therefore,  that  there  be  an  amendment  em- 
bodying in  the  resolution  the  idea  that  a  suitable  term  of  years  should 
be  given  as  space  for  repentance  before  these  men  should  be  allowed  the 
fuU  rights  of  citizenship. 

A  member  moved  to  postpone  the  further  consideration  of 
this  resolution  indefinitely. 

The  motion  was  rejected  by  a  decisive  vote. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts,  suggested  the  addition  of 
a  saving  clause  at  the  end, "  the  right  of  the  citizen  to  fran- 
chise excepted." 

Dea.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  to  refer  the  resolutions 
to  a  special  committee. 

Rev.  Dr.  Button  moved  to  amend  by  referring  it  to  the  same 
committee  that  had  been  formerly  appointed  upon  the  State  of 
the  Country. 

The  motion  to  refer  to  that  committee  was  agreed  to. 

On  motion  of  Hon.  Mr.  Douglas,  of  Connecticut,  Rev.  Mr. 
Bliss,  of  Memphis,  Tennessee,  was  added  to  the  committee. 

Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  Massachusetts,  suggested  that  this  resolu- 
tion should  be  placed  last  of  the  three  reported  this  morning. 


RIGHTS   OF   MEMBERS.  253 

FINANCIAL  KEPORT. 

Dea.  Stoddard,  from  the  committee  on  Finance,  reported  that  the 
amount  of  funds  received  from  360  churches  was  $3,972,  of  which  176 
Western  churches  contributed  $1,479,  and  184  Eastern  churches,  82,493; 
being  an  average  of  $9  to  each  Western,  and  $13  to  each  Eastern 
church;  the  dividing  line  being  an  imaginary  meridian  line  through  cen- 
tral New  York.  The  total  amount  of  traveling  expenscB  was  $7,818; 
double  the  amount  received.  The  committee  asked  for  further  instruc- 
tions as  to  the  distribution  of  the  fund. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  the  matter  was  referred 
to  a  select  committee,  which,  on  behalf  of  the  Nominating  Com- 
mittee, he  named  as  follows :  — 

KEW  COMMITTEE  ON  FINANCE. 

Hon.  Charles  G.  Hammond,  of  Illinois;  Hon.  Amos  C.  Barstow,  of 
Bhode  Island;  Asahel  Finch,  Esq.,  of  Wisconsin;  Daniel  S.  Williams, 
Esq.,  of  New  York;  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  of  Kew  York;  Hon. 
Henry  P.  Haven,  of  Connecticut;  Hon.  Samuel  Willis  ton,  of  Massachu- 
setts; Dea.  Samuel  Holmes,  of  New  York;  Hon.  Douglas  Putnam,  of 
Ohio;  Dea.  Sherman  S.  Barnard,  of  Michigan;  Dea.  Simon  Page,  of 
Maine;  Rev.  Samuel  G,  Buckingham,  of  Massachusetts;  Dea.  PhUo 
Carpenter,  of  Illinois  (subsequently  added). 

The  committee,  as  named,  was  agreed  to. 

COMMITTEE  ON  AMERICAN  CONGREGATIONAL  ASSOCIATION. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  from  the  committee  on  Nominations, 
reported  the  following  names  for  the  committee  on  American 
Congregational  Association :  — 

Rev.  Christopher  Cushing,  of  North  Brookfleld,  Massachusetts;  Rev. 
Ezekiel  Russell,  D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts;  Dea.  John  Smith,  of  Andover, 
Massachusetts;  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Cochran,  of  Iowa;  Rev.  Samuel  G. 
"fright,  of  Illinois;  Hon.  Walter  Booth,  of  Connecticut 

ON  BOOKS  AND  TRACTS,  —  ADDITIONAL. 

Rev.  Jacob  Ide,  D.  D.,  of  West  Medway,  Massachusetts;  Timothy 
Dwight,  Esq.,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin. 

The  report  was  adopted. 

RIGHTS  OF  MEMBERS. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint  stated,  in  explanation  of  the  action  of  the 
Business  Committee,  that  that  committee  had  no  discretion  as 
to  admitting  subjects  proposed,  but  were  required  by  the  rule 
to  report  all  matters  referred  to  them  to  the  Convention. 


254  SUFFRAGE. 

A  member  moved  to  amend  the  rule,  so  as  to  leave  it  to  the 
discretion  of  the  committee  what  they  should  report. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois.  That  will  never  do.  We  are  all 
elected  as  peers,  and  each  has  a  right  to  bring  before  the  Council  what 
he  thinks  best,  upon  his  own  individual  responsibility.  This  committee 
was  only  permitted  to  be  appointed  on  that  condition.  If  we  are  foolish, 
we  can  not  help  it;  and  the  churches  who  sent  us  are  responsible. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint.  The  committee  do  not  ask  for  a  change  in  the  rule, 
but  merely  wish  to  escape  censure  for  reporting  unnecessary  matters. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  If  any  thing  comes  before  the 
committee  which  strikes  them  as  particularly  foolish,  they  should  say  so 
to  the  gentleman  who  brings  it  to  them« 

UNIVERSAL   SUFFRAGE. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  Business  Committee,  reported  the 
following  resolution:  — 

Resolved,  That  a  conmiittee  of  three  be  appointed  to  proceed  to  Wash- 
ington and  present  in  person  to  President  Johnson  the  resolutions  on 
the  State  of  the  Country,  and  especially  that  part  in  relation  to  the  pun- 
ishment of  traitors  and  universal  suflrage. 

Hon.  Mr.  Child,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  to  lay  the  resolu- 
tion upon  the  table  ;  but  withdrew  his  motion. . 

Hon.  Mr.  Ha^emond,  of  Illinois.  There  are  some  gentlemen  here 
who  feel  much  interested  in  presenting  to  the  President  the  resolutions 
on  the  State  of  the  Country;  and  I  understand  that  they  are  going  to 
"Washington.  If  we  strike  out  the  words  "  proceed  to  Washington  and," 
BO  that  they  shall  merely  present  the  resolutions  to  the  President,  I  think 
there  will  be  no  objection  to  the  committee. 

The  resolution  was  amended  accordingly. 
Hon.  Mr.  Child  renewed  the  motion  to  lay  the  resolution 
upon  the  table. 

The  motion  was  rejected. 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois,  said.  I  think  that  the  topic  men- 
tioned in  these  resolutions  is  practically  the  most  important  topic  be- 
fore this  nation,  and  one  upon  which  every  influence  that  can  be  ex- 
erted is  important  to  be  exerted  at  this  time.  I  see  by  the  morning 
papers  that  the  proclamation  to  reorganize  the  Southern  States,  by  Pres- 
ident Johnson,  has  gone  forth,  with  reference  to  at  least  four  States, 
upon  the  white  basis.  It  is  also  reasonable  to  believe  that  when  a 
patriotic  man  takes  a  course  which  appears  to  be  dangerous  in  its  re- 


SUFFRAGE.  255 

Bults,  there  must  be  some  considerations  for  that  course.  Upon  that 
ground  I  suspend  my  judgment  with  regard  to  the  action  of  President 
Johnson  in  the  premises.  I  have  been  informed,  as  I  suppose  credibly, 
that  President  Johnson  supposed  he  should  not  be  sustained  by  the  pub- 
lic sentiment  of  the  nation,  if  he  proceeded  upon  any  other  basis,  and  that 
he  is  at  least  disposed  to  extend  universal  suffrage  to  the  colored  people. 

I  feel  that  if  there  is  any  one  thing  about  which  we  ought  to  be  solicit- 
ous, it  is  that  this  matter  of  reorganizing  these  States  on  the  white 
basis  shall  not  go  so  far  that  the  whole  we  have  gained  by  the  war  shall 
virtually  slip  out  of  our  hands.  "We  are,  in  my  judgment,  more  in  dan- 
ger upon  that  point  than  upon  any  other  point  whatever.  [Applause.] 
And  we  are  blind  to  the  interests  of  the  country,  if  we  who  have  been 
standard-bearers,  —  for  I  say  that  the  Congregational  body  have  had 
more  sagacity  and  more  prominence  in  holding  up  the  true  principles 
than  any  other  body  of  men  in  this  country,  —  if  we  do  not  exert  the 
moral  influence  we  can  exert  by  sending  a  committee  directly  to  Presi- 
dent Johnson.  If  we  allow  the  resolutions  to  slumber  in  the  pages  of  a 
newspaper,  perhaps  President  Johnson  to  the  year's  end  may  never  see 
them;  for  he  does  not  read  every  newspaper  that  is  published.  I  hope 
that  the  resolution  will  pass. 

Rev.  Dr.  Stxjrtevant,  of  Illinois.  I  do  not  know  but  I  am  going  to 
make  a  remark  that  will  throw  me  into  the  minority  in  this  Christian 
Coimcil.  If  it  does,  I  can  bear  it,  for  I  have  been  in  the  minority  before. 
I  am  opposed  to  the  phrase  "  universal  suffi-age,"  occurring  in  that  resolu- 
tion; and  nobody  can  ever  make  me  vote  for  that.  I  am  in  favor  of 
striking  out  from  our  statute  book  all  disqualifications  which  depend  on 
color.  I  am  in  favor  of  letting  the  colored  man  have  the  same  rights  as 
any  other  man  has.  But  I  am  not  in  favor  of  universal  suffrage;  and  I 
suspect  that  the  minority  who  will  be  with  me,  if  I  am  in  the  minority, 
will  be  a  very  respectable  one.  I  shall  therefore  want  the  resolution  so 
amended  that  the  Convention  shall  not  commit  itself  for  universal  suffrage 
through  this  land.  Universal  suffrage  does  not  exist  in  Massachusetts  or 
in  Connecticut  Both  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  have  set  a  noble 
example,  which  the  whole  nation  should  follow,  of  the  limitation  of  suf- 
frage to  intelligent  men,  of  the  limitation  of  suffrage  to  men  ffiaftcan  read 
and  write  their  own  mother  tongue.  [Applause.]  I  want  tlie  resolution 
so  modified  as  to  be  consistent  with  that  view  of  the  case. 

Hon.  Mr.  Child,  of  Massachusetts.  I  hope  the  Convention  will  con- 
sider for  a  moment  what  is  involved  in  the  proposition  now  before  them. 
If  President  Johnson  and  his  advisers  have  settled  upon  a  policy  that  is 
to  guide  them  upon  this  question  of  voting  in  the  reconstruction  of  the 
States,  —  whether  that  be  right  or  whether  it  be  wrong,  I  am  not  now  to 
say,  —  is  it  wise  for  this  Council  to  adopt  a  resolution  to  send  a  delega- 
tion of  its  members  to  arraign  —  for  that  is  the  effect  of  it — the  decision 
of  the  government  upon  such  an  important  question? 

Again,  sir;  it  says,  "in  favor  of  universal  suffrage; "  and  to  what  does 
that  apply?  It  applies  to  all  the  people  of  the  rebel  States.  It  proposes 
that  this  Council  should  say  to  the  administration,  that  they  should 


256  SUFFRAGE. 

adopt  a  rule,  with  regard  to  these  people,  admitting  them  to  vote,  when 
they  could  not  to-day  vote  in  Massachusetts  or  in  Connecticut. 

I  will  say  that  the  idea  that  the  word  "  white  "  should  ever  have  been 
in  the  constitutions  of  these  States,  I  abominate.  A  man  is  not  to  be 
excluded  because  of  the  color  of  his  skin,  nor  is  he  to  be  admitted  to  vote 
because  he  is  black.  There  are  restrictions  in  Massachusetts.  There 
are  restrictions  in  all  the  States.  I  think  we  are  going  too  far  in  regard 
to  this  matter.  All  the  States  have  their  different  qualifications,  —  in 
New  York,  one;  in  Pennsylvania  another;  in  Rhode  Island  another;  in 
New  Hampshire  and  Vermont,  others  and  different.  And  now  we  pro- 
pose to  declare  the  sentiment  of  this  Ecclesiastical  Council  upon  a  great 
question  of  public  policy  lying  at  the  very  foundation  of  the  government. 
I  think  it  would  be  better  to  declare  great  principles  without  going  into 
these  details.  For  one  I  am  not  willing  to  vote  for  the  resolution  because 
it  involves  a  principle  beyond  that  adopted  even  in  Massachusetts,  and 
far  beyond  most  of  the  New  England  States. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  There  is  another  view  of  the  ques- 
tion which  does  not  seem  to  have  occurred  very  clearly  in  any  thing  that 
has  been  uttered  here  as  yet.  We  are  an  Ecclesiastical  Council.  We 
take  cognizance  of  the  things  that  pertain  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ  We 
have  a  right  to  take  cognizance  here  of  all  moral  questions,  because  what 
is  moral  is  religious.  We  have  a  right  to  say  here,  in  the  name  of  Christ 
and  of  the  New  Testament,  that  God  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations 
of  men  to  dwell  upon  all  the  face  of  the  earth ;  and  that  all  these  distinc- 
tions which  rest  upon  the  color  of  a  man's  skin,  or  the  straightness  or 
kink  of  his  hair,  are  unchristian  and  impious.  We  have  a  right  to  say 
that;  let  us  say  it 

But  is  it  our  province  as  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  to  interfere  in  what 
is  purely  and  simply  a  political  question?  It  is  not  a  question  of  univer- 
sal right  who  shall  vote  in  an  election  to  the  legislature.  The  right  of 
voting  is  not  a  right  of  human  nature.  I  have  known  men  to  come  from 
New  Hampshire  into  Connecticut  with  high-flown  ideas  of  the  rights 
of  man,  and  insist  upon  voting  without  the  six  months'  residence  which 
our  laws  require,  without  having  become  citizens  of  Connecticut,  and 
approach  veiy  nearly  to  a  violation  of  the  law  in  other  particulars 
in  order  to  get  their  vote  into  the  ballot  box  of  Connecticut.  If  that 
were  a  universal  right  of  human  nature,  I  could  justify  such  men  in  a 
measure.  But  I  do  not  believe  that  the  right  to  vote  is  any  part 
of  the  rights  of  human  nature.  The  right  of  suffrage  is  a  right 
which  society  confers  upon  classes  of  society.  The  infant  of  yesterday 
does  not  vote;  nor  does  his  mother  or  his  nurse  vote  for  him.  The  right 
to  vote  in  the  State  of  Alabama  is  a  right  to  be  determined  by  the  laws 
and  Constitution  of  Alabama,  and  we  are  not  to  dictate  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  nor  in  an  ecclesiastical  capacity  and  character  are 
we  to  send  a  commission  to  argue  with  him  upon  a  question  of  Con- 
stitutional law.  I  hope  this  Ecclesiastical  Council  will  not  compromise 
its  dignity  or  its  authority  as  a  Council  of  churches  of  Jesus  Christ  by 
going  into  this  political  question.    I  agree  fully  and  perfectly  with  all 


SUFFRAGE.  257 

that  has  been  or  can  be  said  in  behalf  of  the  right  of  the  negro  in  the 
Southern  States  to  vote  on  the  same  footing  and  the  same  terms  as  the 
white  man,  and  I  believe  that  the  salvation  of  our  country  in  time  to 
come  depends  upon  their  attaining  that  right  fully. 

(A  member  inquired  whether  this  debate  was  relevant,  and  the  mod- 
erator replied  it  was.) 

Dr.  Bacon  resumed:  I  am  speaking  against  presenting  these  resolu- 
tions to  the  President  of  the  United  States.  In  order  to  avoid  the  mis- 
constructions which  continually  arise,  I  was  saying  that  I  am  ready  to 
concur  with  everybody  here  and  with  every  loycd  heart  in  the  Korth,  that 
the  salvation  of  the  country  depends  upon  the  attainment  of  the  right  of 
suflrage  by  the  black  men  of  the  South  and  upon  their  standing  upon  the 
same  political  level  in  all  respects  with  the  white  men  of  the  South.  But 
I  agree  with  President  Sturtevant  fully  that  this  principle  of  universal 
suflrage  is  one  to  which  we  ought  not  to  commit  ourselves.  We  do  not 
believe  in  it.    There  is  not  a  mother's  child  among  us  that  believes  in  it. 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois,  interposed  and  called  attention  to  the . 
fact  that  the  resolutions  offered  yesterday  said  nothing  about  universal 
suffrage;   and  called  upon  the  committee  therefore  to  lay  before  the 
President  something  that  did  not  exist. 

The  Moderator  explained  that  it  included  the  resolutions  offered  this 
morning  and  referred. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois,  suggested  the  substitution  of  the  phrase 
"  impartial  suflfrage." 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  moved  to  strike  out  the  last  part 
of  the  resolution  consisting  of  the  words :  —  "  and  especiaHjf  that  part  in 
relation  to  the  punishment  of  traitors  and  universal  suffrage." 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon  resumed:  I  agree  to  that  entirely;  but  I  do  not  agree 
to  the  idea  that  we  are  to  tell  President  Johnson,  directly  or  indirectly, 
that  he  has  mistaken  his  business  and  duty  and  power;  and,  furthermore, 
I  do  not  agree  to  the  idea  of  those  gentlemen  who  suppose  President 
Johnson  to  be  invested  with  the  power  of  imperial  government  over  the 
Southern  States.  Let  him  give  account  of  himself  to  God;  let  him  give 
account  of  himself  to  the  people  of  the  United  States;  to  the  House  of 
Representatives,  to  the  Senate  if  the  House  of  Representatives  shall  im- 
peach him,  and  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States;  but  let  us 
not  as  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  undertake  to  guide  him,  to  dictate  to  him, 
or  even  to  counsel  him  on  a  question  which  is  a  law  question  and  not  a 
religious  question,  not  a  question  of  ethics. 

Andrew  Johnson  will  proceed,  if  I  understand  his  nature,  in  the  course 

in  which  he  has  been  organizing  the  governments  of  the  Southern  States 

by  the  votes  of  those  people,  who,  under  the  Constitution  and%  laws  of 

those  States  as  they  existed  prior  to  the  pretended  secession,  are  the 

sovereignty  of  those  States  under  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 

I  believe  he  agrees  with  us  — I  have  every  reasoi)  to  believe  he  agrees  with 

us  and  with  every  intelligent  and  loyal  man  in  the  belief  that  the  right 

of  suflrage  must  be  given  to  the  black  people  of  the  Southern  States  upon 

the  same  basis  and  under  the  same  conditions  with  the  white  people;  but 

17 


/ 


I 


268  WESTERN  COLLEGIATE   EDUCATION. 

he  believes  that  that  thing  must  be  done  in  a  legal  way,  and  not  done  by 
the  right  of  conquest  We  ought  to  be  careful  how  we  commit  ourselves 
upon  questions  which  are  among  the  deepest  and  most  perplexing  and 
disputed  questions  of  constitutional  law,  now  before,  or  soon  to  come 
before,  not  only  the  Houses  of  Congress  but  the  Courts  for  adjudication. 
I  have  no  objection  to  laying  the  resolutions  upon  the  State  of  the  Country 
before  the  President,  but  I  object  to  proceeding  one  inch  beyond  that,  to 
give  him  as  an  ecclesiastical  body  counsel  upon  questions  of  constitu- 
tional law. 

The  amendment  was  agreed  to. 

The  question  recurred  upon  the  resolution,  as  amended. 
A  member  moved  to  lay  the  resolution  upon  the  table. 
The  motion  was  rejected. 

The  resolution,  as  amended,  was  then  adopted  by  a  decisive 
vote. 

EXCURSION  TO  PLYMOUTH  ROCK. 

The  committee  of  Arrangements  announced  that  the  train 
would  leave  for  Plymouth  at  9J  o'clock  on  Thursday  morning 
instead  of  the  earlier  hour  before  reported. 

TOBACCO. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint  reported  from  the  Business  Committee  the 
following  resolution  offered  by  David  S.  Williams,  of  Flushing, 
Long  Island :  — 

"  Besolved,  That  the  committee  appointed  by  this  Council  to  consider 
the  evil  of  intemperance  be  also  requested  to  consider  its  twin  vice,  the 
improper  use  of  tobacco,  particularly  by  ministers  and  church  meml)ers; 
and  in  case  the  said  committee  shall  decide  to  bring  in  a  report  or  testi- 
mony against  the  former  evil,  they  are  hereby  instnicted  to  bring  in  at 
the  same  time  some  suitable  report  or  testimony  against  the  latter." 

On  motion  of  Rov.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  the  resolution  was 
so  amended  as  to  leave  the  subject  discretionary  with  the  com- 
mittee, and  then  referred  to  the  committee  on  Temperance. 

WESTERN  COLLEGIATE  EDUCATION. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  Business  Committee,  reported  reso- 
lutions regarding  the  Society  in  relation  to  Collegiate  Education 
in  the  West ;  which  on  his  motion  were  referred  to  the  com- 
mittee on  Colleges. 


BVANGEUZATION    IN   THE   WEST   AND   SOXTTH.  259 


THE  STATE  OF  THE  COUNTRY. 

ReT.  Mr.  Bliss  asked  and  obtained  permission,  from  the  com- 
mittee appointed  to  revise  the  additional  resolutions  offered 
this  morning  by  Rev.  Dr.  Post,  on  the  state  of  the  country,  to 
report ;  and  reported  the  same  with  a  few  verbal  amendments. 

A  member  moved  to  insert  the  words  "  or  forced." 

The  amendment  was  agreed  to. 

The  resolutions  were  then  adopted  as  follows :  — 

• 

Besolved,  That  we  extend  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  late  revolted  States 
who  have  been  snared  into  this  rebellion  through  ignorance,  surprise,  or 
overbearing  violence  of  public  sentiment,  or  forced  by  the  power  of  a 
merciless  conscription,  our  sympathy  and  commiseration,  and  our  readi- 
ness, after  a  suitable  time  has  elapsed,  to  welcome  them,  on  satisfactory 
evidence  of  loyalty,  to  civil  fellowship  and  fraternity  under  the  old  flag. 

Besolved^  That  those  who  have  maintained  steadfast  loyalty  amid 
general  treason  and  revolt,  undaunted  by  popular  rage  or  despotic  vio- 
lence, braving,  in  the  cause  of  the  country,  the  terrors  of  imprisonment, 
torture,  robbery,  and  starvation,  and  of  death  itself,  rank  amid  the 
noblest  heroes  and  martyrs  of  this  war,  and  deserve  lasting  honor  and 
gratitude. 

liesolved^  That  the  heroic  devotion  and  self-sacrifice  of  the  loyal 
women  of  the  country  during  this  war  will  ever  be  grateftiUy  remem- 
bered as  having  been  of  vital  efficacy  to  the  triumph  of  our  cause,  and 
will  excite  the  admiration  of  history  as  examples  of  moral  beauty  and 
sublimity  unsurpassed  in  human  story. 


EVANGELIZATION  IN  THE  WEST  AND  SOUTH. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  from  the  committee  to  which  was  referred 
the  Report  upon  Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South,  read 
the  following  report:  — 

The  committee,  to  whom  was  referred  the  Report  on  Evangelization  in 
the  West  and  South,  would  state  to  the  Council  that  we  have  carefully  \ 
examined  that  report,  and  have  heard  many  communications  from  per- 
sons specially  acquainted  with  the  West  and  South  which  confirm  and 
illustrate  its  positions  and  reasonings.  We  commend  that  report  as 
comprehensive,  thorough,  and  able,  and  move  that  it  be  adopted  by  the  ^  ^^ 
Council.  \    ' 

We  see  no  necessity  of  using  the  precious  time  of  the  Council  by 
adding  to  the  facts  and  arguments  presented  in  the  report.    We  would 


260  EVANGELIZATION   IN  THE   WEST   AND  SOUTH. 

only  bring  them  to  a  practical  issue,  by  deriving  from  them,  and  pre- 
senting for  adoption  by  the  Council,  certain  definite  recommendations  to 
the  churches.    We  propose,  therefore,  the  following  result,  namely : 

This. National  Council,  in  view  of  the  vast  and  promising  fields  of 
evangelical  labor  opened  by  the  rapid  growth  of  our  country  toward  the 
"West,  the  North-west,  and  on  the  borders  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  espec- 
ially in  the  mining  regions,  and  opened  also  by  the  sublime  and  awful, 
yet  blessed  providence  of  God  in  subduing  rebellion,  and  giving  their 
rightful  liberty  to  four  millions  of  bondmen,  fields  of  labor,  requiring  for 
their  proper  culture,  and  requiring  immediately,  a  large  increase  of  la- 
borers and  of  funds  for  their  support,  do  recommend  to  the  churches  of 
Christ  whom  they  represent, — 

First  of  all,  that  they  seek  a  large  measure  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to 
inspire  them  with  the  zeal  and  faith,  the  courage  and  self-denial,  neces- 
sary to  make  them  willing  and  happy  to  give  all  the  men  and  all  the 
money  needed  to  meet  this  extraordinary  and  critical  exigency  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  in  our  land. 

Then  to  the  organizations  which,  in  the  grace  and  providence  of  God, 
these  churches  have  ready  and  well  fitted  to  this  work,  the  Council 
'  recommend  that  they  devise  liberal  things:  To  the  American  Home 
,  Missionary  Society  —  which,  according  to  its  constitution,  aids  feeble 
churches  in  sustaining  the  administration  of  the  gospel,  and  sends  the 
gospel  to  the  destitute  in  whatever  circumstances  found,  and  by  itinerant 
as  well  as  local  preachers,  and  which,  from  its  beginning  many  years 
since,  has  performed  its  work  with  wisdom  arid  fidelity  that  deserve  uni- 
versal gratitude  and  honor — 8300,000  during  the  year.  To  the  American 
Missionary  Association  —  which,  by  its  past  fidelity  to  the  rights  and  spir- 
itual interests  of  the  negro  race,  and  by  its  evangelical  character  and 
comprehensive  plans  and  labors  for  the  education  and  religious  instruc- 
tion of  the  Freedmen,  is  providentially  prepared  for  the  great  work  of 
their  evangelization  so  suddenly  thrown  upon  the  Christian  people  of  the 
land  —  $250,000  the  present  year. 

And  since  there  are  some  places  in  the  coimtry,  and  especially  in  that 
part  of  the  country  which  has  just  been  delivered  from  the  curse  of 
bondage,  and  has  been  impoverished  by  the  war  unsuccessfully  waged  in 
behalf  of  bondage,  where  churches  of  central  influence  and  of  the  Con- 
gregational polity,  that  has  no  guilty  implication  with  slavery  to  be 
remembered  against  it,  might  at  once  be  prosperously  established  if 
suitable  houses  of  religious  worship  and  instruction  were  built,  we 
recommend  that  a  special  fund  of  S200,000  be  raised  by  the  American 
Congregational  Union,  and  expended  under  its  direction  for  the  building 
of  sanctuaries  in  such  places. 

And  because  of  the  great  importance  of  occupying  such  places  at  once 
with  preachers  and  pastors  of  experience  as  well  as  ability,  we  recom- 
mend that  churches  at  the  North  should  exercise  in  some  instances  the 
^  self-denial  of  relinquishing  for  that  purpose  their  chosen  and  beloved 
ministers,  if  not  permanently,  at  least  for  a  time. 

In  view,  also,  of  the  ignorance  of  the  great  body  of  the  poor  whites 


EVANGELIZATION   IN   THE   SOUTH   AND  WEST.  261 

of  the  South,  who  at  present  form  the  chief  constituency  there,  accord- 
ing to  the  precedents  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and  Mississippi,  we 
recommend  the  plans  of  the  American  Union  Commission  for  a  univer- 
sal common-school  education,  and  for  a  wholesome  emigration  from  the 
Northern  States,  with  a  view  to  the  industrial  improvement  of  society, 
as  worthy  the  encouragement  and  support  of  all  Christians  and  pa- 
triots. 

But  the  pecuniary  want  of  the  present  exigency  is  not  the  greatest 
nor  the  most  difficult  to  be  supplied.  To  meet  the  extraordinary  call 
which' is  now  made  from  these  various  fields  for  preachers  of  the  gospel, 
and  which  must  be  met  at  once,  or  much  will  be  lost  for  the  country  and 
for  Christ,  are  required  (it  is  not  extravagant,  to  say)  ten  times  as  many 
as  are  now  offered  by  the  ordinary  process  of  education  for  the  Christian 
ministry.  The  Council  therefore  recommend  that  while  the  churches 
and  ministry  do  not  abate  any  thing  from  their  zeal  and  effort  for 
thorough  and  accomplished  theological  education,  but  rather  add  thereto, 
and  while  they  use  all  proper  urgency  with  Christian  young  men  to  pre- 
pare for  the  ministry  by  a  thorough  or  partial  course  in  our  theological 
seminaries,  they  also  commend  to  the  proper  ecclesiastical  bodies  the 
consideration  of  the  expediency  of  approving,  and  if  necessary  of  or- 
daining with  such  conditions  as  they  may  deem  best,  laymen  residing 
within  their  limits  whom  God  has  endowed  with  gifts  and  grace.  And 
the  Council  do  earnestly  invite  such  Christian  laymen  to  hear  the  voice 
of  the  Lord,  and  enter  into  this  work. 

And  because  of  the  woful  need  of  intelligent  preachers  among  the 
Freedmen,  the  Council  recommend  to  the  churches  the  speedy  establish- 
ment at  the  South  of  an  institution  for  the  training,  by  a  short  course,  of 
colored  ministers. 

Moreover,  this  Council,  while  they  exhort  to  the  culture  and  practice 
of  that  enlarged  catholicity  which  is  according  to  the  nature  and  habit 
of  Congregationalism,  they  do  also  exhort  to  watchful  and  thorough 
fidelity  to  the  church  polity  and  faith  of  the  New  England  fathers,  pre- 
eminent, as  they  believe  them  to  be,  in  their  accordance  with  scriptural 
principles  and  primitive  practice,  and  in  their  harmony  with  republican- 
ism in  the  State;  and  they  would  urge  that  that  polity  and  faiUi  be  pro- 
moted and  extended  by  all  honorable  and  Christian  means,  and  by  no 
other  means. 

These  recommendations,  this  Council,  under  a  solemn  sense  of  their 
responsibility  to  God,  send  to  the  churches  whom  they  represent,  beseech- 
ing them,  and  not  only  them,  but  all  patriotic,  philanthropic  people  in 
the  congregations  connected  with  them,  by  the  love  they  bear  to  their 
country,  by  their  gratitude  to  God  for  its  recent  great  and  signal  deliv- 
erance, by  their  sense  of  justice  to  four  millions  of  their  fellow-men 
divinely  restored  to  their  natural  rights,  and  by  their  love  to  Christ,  who 
has  called  them  into  his  kingdom,  that  they  might  co-operate  with  him 
in  seeking  and  saving  the  lost;  that  they  enlarge  their  minds  and  hearts 


/ 


262  BEPORT   ON   CHURCH   BUILDING. 

and  labors  to  a  thorough  and  glorious  obedience  to  the  commands  of  his 
word  and  his  providence. 

In  behalf  of  the  committee, 

S.  W.  S.  Button, 
:  Samuel  Williston, 

Benjamin  P.  Stone, 
L.  II.  Parker, 
D,  Clary, 
F.  D.  Parish, 
J.  Guernsey, 
W.  Crawford, 
J.  Bacon, 
Geo.  H.  Atkinson. 
The  report  was  accepted. 

CHURCH  BUILDING. 

On  motion,  the  orders  of  the  day  were  suspended,  in  order  to 
allow  the  presentation  of  the  report  on  the  kindred  subject  of 
church  building. 

Rev.  Samuel  G.  Buckingham,  from  the  committee  to  which 
was  referred  the  report  on  Church  Building,  then  read  the  fol- 
lowing 

REPORT. 

The  plan  adopted  by  the  Albany  Convention  in  1852,  to  aid  feeble 
churches  in  building  houses  of  worship,  was  regarded  at  the  time  as  not 
the  least  important  result  of  their  deliberations.  But  the  wisdom  of  this 
plan  could  never  have  been  comprehended  as  it  now  is,  after  it  has  been 
in  operation  for  thirteen  years,  and  the  results  are  gathered  up  as  they 
are  in  the  report  before  us.  It  has  furnished  so  many  churches'  with 
sanctuaries;  it  has  been  such  an  efficient  aid  to  home  missions;  it  has 
][)roved  itself  such  an  economical  form  of  benevolence;  it  has  done  so 
much  to  promote  revivals  of  religion;  it  has  so  spread  the  faith  and 
church  polity  of  the  Puritans,  and  so  stimulated  other  denominations 
to  take  up  and  prosecute  the  same  Christian  work,  —  that  we  shall  never 
cease  to  bless  God  for  the  wisdom  that  conceived  of  such  a  plan,  and  the 
faith,  and  enterprise,  and  liberality  that  undertook  to  put  it  into  operation. 

But  the  demand  which  existed  for  such  Christian  work  then  has  greatly 
increased  since  that  time.  Emigration  is  flowing  Westward  as  fast  as 
ever,  while  that  wall  of  exclusion  which  shut  it  out  from  the  South  and  the 
South-west  is  broken  down,  and  it  is  likely  to  overflow  and  fertilize  all  that 
region  also.  And  every  consideration  that  ever  urged  us  to  engage  in  this 
work  does  so  now,  and  with  increased  force.  For  if  it  was  ever  worth 
while  to  build  sanctuaries  for  feeble  churches,  it  still  is;  and  there  never 
were  half  so  many  that  needed  to  be  built  as  are  likely  to  be  called  for 
hereafter.  We  must  therefore  assume  the  duty  that  is  laid  upon  us,  and 
prosecute  the  work  with  becoming  vigor.    The  altered  condition  of  the 


KEPORT   ON    CHUBCH   BUILDING.  263 

country  may  require  sortie  modification  of  our  plan  and  mode  of  work- 
ing, but  the  work  is  essentially  the  same,  and  the  duty  more  imperative 
than  ever. 

Your  committee  on  "  EvangelizatUmin  the  South  amd  West "  call  atten- 
tion to  such  cities  and  larger  towns  as  Baltimore,  and  Washington,  and 
Richmond,  and  Norfolk,  and  Wilmington,  and  Cairo,  and  Memphis,  and 
New  Orleans,  and  regard  them  as  coming  within  the  scope  of  this  enter- 
prise. As  centers  of  population  and  influence,  they  very  properly  rep- 
resent them  as  "  strategic  points  "  in  our  moral  warfare,  and  recommend 
that  no  time  be  lost  in  taking  possession  of  them  in  the  name  of  our 
Great  Captain.  The  wisdom  of  this  reconmiendation  must  commend 
itself  to  all.  But  it  is  equally  apparent  that  appropriations  to  churches 
at  such  points,  to  be  of  any  value,  must  be  very  much  larger  than  any 
that  have  hitherto  been  made.  Instead  of  three  or  five  or  seven  hun- 
dred dollars,  it  will  require  some  thousands  to  secure  the  erection  of  a 
house  of  worship  in  such  a  position,  and  this  will  be  doing  no  more  for 
them  than  the  former  sum  has  accomplished  for  a  church  in  some  little 
village.  In  the  mining  region,  also,  where  the  expense  of  building  is  so 
great,  appropriations  must  be  made  on  an  increased  scale  of  liberality  to 
accomplish  the  desired  object  This,  however,  will  require  vastly  more 
of  funds  than  we  have  hitherto  raised  for  any  such  purpose,  and  also 
require  some  modification  of  our  mode  of  raising  funds,  as  well  as  of  our 
scale  of  expenditure. 

We  do  not  regard  any  new  agency  cw  needed  to  take  charge  of  this  work. 
The  Congregational  Union,  to  which  it  has  hitherto  been  assigned,  has 
labored  most  assiduously,  with  the  scanty  force  at  its  command,  to  col- 
lect funds,  and  distributed  them  with  wisdom  and  impartiality.  And 
with  our  confidence  in  those  who  have  the  charge  of  this  society,  and 
with  their  experience  already  acquired  in  the  management  of  such  a 
charity,  we  may  safely  intrust  this  enterprise  with  them. 

The  committee  recommend  that  all  applications  for  aid  in  church 
building  be  made  to  the  Congregational  Union;  and  that,  having 
received  their  indorsement,  special  agents  shall  be  assigned  to  particular 
fields  for  their  collections,  after  the  manner  so  successfully  followed  by 
the  "  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Collegiate  and  Theological  Educa- 
tion at  the  West." 

We  also  recommend  that  we  embrace  within  our  plan  of  church  build- 
ing the  afibrding  of  aid  in  the  erection  of  church  edifices  to  feeble 
churches  in  the  cities  and  large  towns  of  the  South  and  West,  and  that 
our  appropriations  to  them  be  upon  a  scale  commensurate  widi  the  im- 
portance of  their  position  and  the  increased  cost  of  afibrding  such  aid. 

We  further  recommend,  that  in  order  to  meet  the  increased  expendi- 
ture which  such  an  enlargement  of  our  plan  hnplies,  and  also  in  view  of 
the  present  demand  for  church-edifices  at  the  West,  and  the  prospective 
demand  for  them  in  the  South,  the  sum  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars 
be  raised  at  once,  and  that  a  much  larger  sum  than  has  hitherto  been 
raised  for  the  purpose  be  secured  annually  to  carry  out  the  above  plan. 

In  conclusion,  we  would  merely  add,  that  if  we  can  not  rear  any  fit 


264  DISCUSSION    OF   REPORTS. 

monument  to  the  piety  of  our  fathers,  and  to  God's  good  providence 

over  them,  on  Plymouth  Rock,  let  lis  scatter  these  sacred  and  enduring 

memorials  of  such  faith  and  grace  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 

land,  and  thus  show  our  appreciation  of  such  faith,  and  gratitude  for 

such  grace. 

(Signed)  S.  G,  Buckingham, 

F.  B.  Doe, 
Phtlo  Carpenter, 
Isaac  Jennings, 
J.  M.  Cuamberlain, 
Edwin  Johnson, 
H.  P.  Haven, 


y  Committee, 


The  report  was  accepted. 

The  question  was  stated  upon  the  adoption  of  the  report. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut,  suggested  that  the  two  reports  be 
referred  to  a  joint  committee  consisting  Of  the  two  committees  incor- 
porated into  one. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut,  stated  that  this  was  unnecessary, 
the  committees  having  already  conferred  with  each  other  and  made  their 
reports  to  harmonize. 

Rev.  Dr.  Sturtevant,  of  Illinois,  inquired  whether  it  was  in  order 
to  consider  the  two  reports  together. 

The  Moderator  replied  that  such  appeared  to  be  the  understanding 
of  the  Convention,  although  that  upon  church  building  was  alone  strictly 
before  the  Convention. 

On  motion  of  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut,  it  was  voted  that 
the  two  reports  should  be  discussed  together. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts.  It  appears  to  me  that  it  is  danger- 
ous for  us  to  recommend  the  organization  of  African  colleges.  We  do 
not  want  African,  Irish,  or  German  colleges,  but  American  colleges, 
without  distinction  as  to  the  color  of  the  skin.  I  hope  that  point  will 
be  well  considered,  because  it  involves  a  great  deal. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut.  The  committee  put  that  in  at  the 
urgent  request  of  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee,  and  we  would  like  to  have 
him  defend  his  child. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee.  In  appearing  before  the  committee 
yesterday,  I  was  led  in  the  course  of  my  remarks  to  suggest  the  impor- 
tance of  distinct  educational  establishments  in  the  South  for  the  training 
of  men  as  teachers  and  as  preachers  of  the  gospel  through  that  region. 
There  is  no  question  of  prejudice  of  color  at  all  in  this  matter.  Those 
who  know  me  know  that  with  me  that  subject  was  settled  fiiU  twenty  or 
twenty-five  years  ago.  In  looking  over  the  field  for  nearly  two  years  in 
Missouri,  and  the  last  year  and  a  half  in  Mississippi,  and  along  down 
the  Mississippi  river,  I  have  foimd  that  there  was  a  mighty  work  to  be 


DISCUSSION    OF    REPOBTS.  265 

done  for  the  colored  people.  Any  one  who  has  heard  these  preachers 
preach  and  pray  will  feel  distressingly  the  necessity  of  training  teachers 
for  the  four  millions  of  freedmen.  This  work  has  not  yet  been  fully 
entered  upon;  but  already  we  have  at  Memphis  colored  schools  contain- 
ing from  1800  to  2000  people  of  color;  and  one  high  school  established 
with  a  Congregational  niinister  and  his  wife  at  the  head  of  it  There  is 
in  that  neighborhood  an  opportunity  for  training  these  men  for  the  min- 
istry and  for  the  position  of  teachers.  We  must  enter  into  this  work 
early.  The  colored  people  themselves  demand  it;  and  the  times  urge  it 
impressively  upon  us.  The  question  of  color  is  not  to  be  brought  in. 
We  do  not  have  any  thing  to  do  with  it  there.  We  are  working  for  them 
to  the  best  advantage  we  can;  and  we  need  there  an  institution  which 
shall  be  academic,  and  collegiate,  and  theological  combined,  like  many  of 
our  young  Western  institutions,  so  that  these  young  men  can  enter,  and, 
by  perhaps  a  shorter  course  than  usual,  be  prepared  to  preach  to  their 
people  and  to  instruct  their  people. 

Memphis  is  a  central  point,  with  railroads  running  into  it  from  vari- 
ous points,  from  Charleston  in  S.  C,  from  Louisville  in  Ky.,  and  from 
Little  Rock  in  Ark.  Being  a  central  point,  it  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant in  the  whole  Southern  region.  The  city  of  Memphis  alone  has  a 
population  of  40  or  60,000,  the  colored  population  amounting  to  10  or 
15,000,  while  they  are  coming  there  from  all  points.  And  you  will  find 
there,  in  the  providence  of  God,  an  institution  now  given  up,  in  just  the 
place  for  just  such  an  establishment  as  is  required  for  these  people. 

We  can  not  keep  calling  upon  the  North  for  teachers,  for  we  can  not 
begin  to  supply  the  demand.  A  work  must  be  commenced  there,  to 
instruct  the  preachers  who  are  to  teach  the  people  themselves.  I  look 
in  the  same  missionary  point  of  view  upon  the  colored  people  in  the 
South,  and  think  we  must  pursue  the  same  course  with  them  as  is  now 
being  pursued  with  the  people  of  other  lands,  regardless  of  color,  —  th6 
whole  question  of  caste  and  prejudice  being  left  entirely  out  of  the 
account.    It  is  not  to  be  considered  at  all  in  this  proposition. 

The  colored  people  there  have  their  own  churches  and  associations 
without  any  question  of  color  being  raised.  There  need  be  no  question 
of  that  kind.  There  is  no  wish  to  exclude;  but  they  naturally  flow 
together  from  their  social  affinities,  without  any  question  of  color  being 
raised.    These  things,  we  trust,  are  buried  for  ever  in  this  land. 

I  introduced  that  provision  with  a  desire  that  it  might  be  fairly  con- 
sidered here,  and  in  order  that  some  of  the  more  wealthy  men  at  the 
North  might  create  such  an  institution,  giving  to  it  a  name  to  immortalize 
themselves,  while  at  the  same  time  it  will  prove  a  blessing  to  untgld  mil- 
lions in  that  Southern  region.  This  work  has  grown  upon  my  mind 
since  I  have  been  in  the  South.  The  great  question  how  we  shall  pro- 
vide instructors  and  preachers  for  four  millions  of  people  staggers  the 
mind  with  the  attempt  to  gi'apple  it  We  do  not  begin  to  reach  it  by 
sending  a  few  teachers  from  the  North.  There  must  be  raised  up  men 
of  their  own  color,  and  living  there  among  them,  for  teachers,  and  for 
preachers  of  the  gospel  among  them. 


266  TELEGRAM  FROM  THE  PRESIDENT. 

TELEGRAM  FROM  THE  PRESIDENT. 

The  hour  having  arrived  which  had  been  dedicated  to  devo- 
tional exercises,  the  moderator  read  the  following  telegram 
received  this  morning  from  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
to  the  Council :  — 

Washington,  June  19. 

To  Gov.  Wm.  a.  BucKiNGnAM,  Moderator  of  the  Kational 
Council  of  Congregational  Churches,  Boston, — 

I  receive  with  profound  thanks  the  dispatch  of  your  Council'.  In  the 
arduous  and  embarrassing  duties  devolved  upon  me,  I  feel  the  need  of  the 
co-operation  and  sympathy  of  the  people,  and  of  the  assistance  of  the 
Great  Ruler  of  the  Universe.  These  duties  I  shall  endeavor  to  discharge 
honestly  and  to  the  best  of  my  judgment,  with  the  conviction  that  the 
best  interests  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  throughout  the  world  will  be 
preserved  and  promoted  by  the  success  and  permanency  of  our  country. 
Let  us  all  labor  to  that  end,  and  the  mission  upon  which  the  people  have 
been  sent  among  the  nations  of  the  world  will  be  accomplished. 

(Signed)  Andrew  Johnson. 

The  Moderator  proceeded  to  say.  You  all  know,  my  Christian 
friends,  the  request  which  President  Lincoln  made  at  the  time  he  left 
Springfield,  that  the  people  would  pray  for  him.  In  allusion  to  that  sub- 
ject, in  a  private  interview  which  I  once  had  with  him,  he  threw  out 
this  intimation  very  clearly,  that  he  felt  that  it  was  in  consequence  of 
those  prayers,  and  in  answer  to  those  prayers,  that  he  was  enabled  to 
bear  the  heavy  burdens  which  were  imposed  upon  him  by  the  position 
which  he  occupied.  I  am  sure  that  any  man  occupying  a  position  as 
prominent  as  that  of  Mr.  Lincoln  during  the  last  four  years,  nmst  feel  his 
entire  incompetepcy  to  bear  the  burden  placed  upon  him,  without  the 
divine  aid.  No  man  needs  it  more  now  than  the  President  of  the  United 
States;  and  surely  it  is  not  too  much  to  ask  these  Christian  hearts  at  this 
hour  to  unite  in  earniest  prayer  that  God  would  strengthen  him  still  more 
for  the  duties  which  devolve  upon  him,  and  give  him  that  wisdom  to  meet 
the  necessities  which  the  times  demand.  I  will  ask  brother  Carter,  of 
Illinois,  to  lead  in  prayer  with  special  reference  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States. 

Prayer  was  oflFered  by  Rev.  William  Carter,  of  Illinois,  Dr. 
Adams,  Dr.  Dutton,  and  others,  and  hynms  were  smig,  —  these 

devotional  exercises  occupying  the  allotted  half  hour. 

« 

EVANGELIZATION  IN  THE  SOUTH  AND  WEST. 

The  consideration  of  the  two  reports,  that  upon  Evangeliza- 
tion in  the  South  and  West,  and  that  upon  Church  Building, 
was  resumed,  each  member  being  limited  to  twelve  minutes 
under  the  rule. 


EVANGELIZATION  —    V.HURUH   BT31LDINO.  267 

Rer.  Dr.  Sturtevant,  of  Illinois.  I  take  the  floor  at  the  opening  of 
this  discussion  modestly,  and  at  the  request  of  brethren  whose  request  I 
did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  disregard.  How  to  speak  twelve  minutes  on 
this  subject  is  to  me  almost  incomprehensible.  To  speak  hours  would 
be  easy.  We  speak  of  this  great  Council.  When  I  compare  this  Coun- 
cil with  the  work  which  stretches  away  before  us  and  around  us,  it  does 
not  seem  to  me  great,  but  unspeakably  small :  we  have  just  had  —  and  the 
_  Lord  in  his  mercy  has  delivered  us  —  a  mighty  physical  conflict  That 
was  a  conflict  for  the  foundation  principle  of  our  political  system,  the 
equal  rights  of  man;  and  ho w* hath  it  taxed  the  energies  of  this  great 
nation!  Fathers  and  brethren,  that  conflict  is  only  the  emblem,  and  a 
very  feeble  emblem,  of  another  conflict  which  is  now  before  us.  We  are 
now  to  have  a  mighty  conflict  for  those  religious  principles  which  lie 
down  deep  at  the  foundation  of  our  whole  structure  of  civil  and  political 
freedom,  which  are  the  hope  of  our  own  souls,  the  hope  of  our  chil- 
dren, the  hope  of  our  schools,  the  hope  of  our  nation.  K  the  physical 
conflict  has  been  a  mighty  one,  what  will  the  religious  conflict  be? 
There  is  just  as  much  necessity,  just  as  stern  and  absolute  a  necessity, 
for  carrying  through  the  religious  conflict  to  the  complete  triumph  of 
those  principles  of  religion  upon  which  the  ,whole  rest,  a&  there  was  for 
carrying  through  the  physical  conflict.  Where  would  we  have  been  if 
we  had  not  had,  or  if  we  had  been  defeated  in,  that  conflict?  Just  in  that 
position  shall  we  be  if  we  do  not  enter  upon,  and  if  we  do  not  conquer  in, 
this  religious  conflict. 

What  is  our  problem?  To  plant  over  all  the  West  and  South  such  a 
local  church  that  it  will  take  into  its  care  the  entire  moral  and  spiritual 
wants  of  the  entire  community  within  the  boundaries  of  each  and  every , 
local  church.  Do  not  misunderstand  me.  If  that  church  owes  allegi- 
ance to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  United  States,  if  it  will  do  that 
work  I  am  not  the  man  that  will  quarrel  with  it,  or  plant  a  Congrega- 
tional church  by  the  side  of  it  to  rival  it  Not  at  all.  I  advocate  our  pol- 
ity simply  because  I  believe  it  is  the  best  instrumentality  to  achieve  this. 
But  God  speed  our  Presbyterian  friends,  and  God  speed  our  Methodist 
friends  to  do  all  of  this  work  that  they  can  and  will  do.    [Applause.] 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  system  of  popular  and  eff*ective  universal  ed- 
ucation that  does  not  draw  its  life  from  the  local  church.  We  have  a  fine 
system  of  common  schools  in  the  State  of  Illinois.  The  people  of  Illinois, 
in  any  school  district,  may  have  under  the  State  law  just  as  noble  a  school 
as  they  desire.  But  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  people  who  are  under  the 
influence  of  moral  and  religious  principles  to  give  life  to  that  system  of 
education ;  and  over  vast  regions  of  that  State  there  is  no  such  life-giving 
power,  and  therefore  that  system  upon  our  statute  book  is  a  dead  letter. 

And  so  it  will  be  every  where.  The  universal  diflusion  of  the  Church 
of  Christ  is  the  only  condition  of  the  education  of  our  people  to  be  free 
men,  to  be  intelligent  voters,  to  be  men  in  whose  hands  the  saciad  inter- 
ests of  religion  and  of  political  freedom  can  be  safely  deposited. 

How  are  we  to  achieve  this  result?  Any  one  in  this  assembly  may 
well  answer  from  the  depths  of  his  heart,  the  Lord  tell  us  how.    But 


268  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

there  is  one  suggestion  I  can  make  with  very  great  confidence.  Every 
one  of  us  sees  the  necessity  of  self-denial.  What  sent  these  brethren  to  Illi- 
nois, Missouri,  Colorado,  Oregon,  and  California?  Ilave  golden  visions 
drawn  them  there?  We  know  the  meaning  of  self-deniid  for  Christ 
Brothers  and  fathers,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  we  bring  this  duty  of  self- 
denial  and  lay  the  burden  of  it  upon  the  conscience  of  every  disciple  of 
Christ  in  the  city  of  Boston,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  the  State  of 
Massachusetts,  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  because  there  is  wealth  there 
too  that  is  not  consecrated  to  Christ.  We  say  that  whatever  stern  self- 
denial  this  cause  lays  upon  the  missionary  or  the  minister,  shall  be  laid 
right  down  upon  every  private  member  of  the  church.  Brother,  sister, 
the  mortgage  is  upon  your  homestead ;  the  mortgage  is  upon  your  land, 
upon  your  son,  your  dausjhter.  Are  we  to  succeed  in  this  grand  en- 
terprise? We  are  to  succeed  in  it  by  completely  breaking  down  the 
perverse  distinction  so  long  made  between  the  duty  of  self-denial  in  the 
ministry  and  the  duty  of  self-denial  in  the  private  membership.  The 
Lord  has  as  good  a  claim  upon  every  disciple  of  his  that  lives  in  these 
ceiled  houses  as  he  has  or  ever  had  upon  me,  or  upon  that  brother  who 
is  upon  this  floor  from  Colorado.  If  we  are  not  going  to  transact  the 
whole  business  upon  this  principle,  there  is  no  hope  for  us  at  all. 

I  am  going  to  sjieak  plainly.  As  I  have  seen  how  this  burden  of  self- 
denial  and  self-sacrilice  is  laid  upon  the  Christian  ministry,  —  none  too 
much,  for  we  have  not  borne  half  what  we  ought  to  have  been  willing  to 
beai*  for  the  sake  of  the  Master,  —  while  those  who  dwell  in  their  palaces 
of  ease  and  luxury,  and  press  their  velvet  cushions  every  Sabbath  day^, 
throw  those  burdens  from  themselves,  my  soul  has  been  exceedingl}^ 
filled  with  scorn  for  them  that  are  at  ease,  and  with  contempt  for  the 
proud.  Brethren,  there  is  wealth  enough  in  the  church  of  Christ;  not  as 
much  as  there  ought  to  be,  if  to-day  we  would  abandon  ten  thousand  of 
the  miserable  fooleries  and  ostentations  of  fashion,  and  be  far  more 
earnest  workers  even  in  our  material  interests  than  we  are,  and  practice 
self-denial  and  economy,  and  thus  accumulate  wealth  far  more  rapidly 
than  we  do.  But  on  the  other  hand  I  would  write  "  Holiness  to  the 
Lord  "  upon  all  that  wealth;  and  as  to  those  figures  that  have  been  rolled 
up  in  this  report,  $200,000  here,  $250,000  there,  and  $300,000  there  — 
there  would  be  no  difficulty  at  all  in  the  matter. 

The  difficulty  is  this :  a  large  portion  of  our  people  feel  as  I  once  heard 
a  brother  say,  "  I  have  not  volunteered; "  "  I  am  on  the  stay-at-home  list; 
I  will  give  a  little,  but  you  must  not  interfere  with  my  pleasures.  My 
wealth,  my  home,  none  of  that  is  mortgaged;  the  Lord  has  no  hold 
upon  that.    I  can  not  part  with  my  luxuries."    [The  time  expired.] 

Bev.  Mr.  Pike,  of  Massachusetts,  said:  I  rise  but  for  one  moment, 
and  will  then  leave  this  discussion  for  abler  hands  than  mine.  It  seems 
to  me  that  the  great  question  before  us  is  not  whether  we  have  a  large 
field  open,  —  for  that  is  granted ;  nor  is  the  question  whether  this  field 
is  to  be  mainly  occupied  by  regularly  authorized  ministers  instead  of 
any  other  form  of  effort  to  bring  the  people  to  Christ, —  for  that,  I  take 
it,  is  granted  also.    The  main  point  is  whether  or  not  it  is  necessary  for 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  269 

US  to  have  a  second  tier  of  ministers.  That,  I  believe,  is  brought  dis- 
tinctly before  us  by  the  report  this  morning,  that  such  is  the  necessity  of 
our  situation,  that  our  associations  or  conferences,  or  whatever  body  this 
matter  may  be  intrusted  to,  are  to  license  and  bring  in  ministers  less  in- 
telligent and  less  fitted  for  this  great  work.  I  desire  that  the  remarks  of 
brethren  fitted  to  instruct  us  may  be  directed  to  this  point.  I  regret  it,  but 
I  do  not  know  but  we  shall  be  obliged  to  come  to  this.  If  so,  let  us  come 
to  it  in  the  fear  of  God  and  with  the  earnestness  of  our  hearts.  The  throw- 
ing open  to  us  of  this  wide  field,  and  raising  up  so  many  millions  that 
need  to  be  immediately  instructed  in  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
certainly  bring  us  toward  that  point.  If  we  have  come  to  the  place 
where  we  need  this  kind  of  ministry,  let  us  enter  upon  that  duty  at  once. 

Rev.  Dr.  Button,  of  Connecticut  One  word  of  explanation.  That 
had  special  reference  to  the  region  of  the  South  and  West,  and  had  not 
much  reference  to  New  England. 

Hon.  Mr.  Pomeroy,  of  Kansas.  I  desire  only  in  a  few  brief  words  to 
say  that  I  approve  those  reports  that  have  been  read  to  the  Covmcil.  Of 
course  I  shall  have  to  leave  out  vastly  more  than  I  can  say,  and  I  can 
not  confine  the  remarks  I  want  to  make  to  the  topic  just  presented. 
First  of  all  I  want  to  say  that  I  feel  called  upon  to  express  the  gratitude 
of  the  churches  of  my  own  State  for  the  aid  they  have  had  from  the 
Congregational  Union;  and  especially  of  the  church  of  my  own  town, 
of  which  I  am  a  member,  for  the  $500  contributed  and  sent  to  us  to  aid 
in  building  a  church.  With  that  aid,  we  built  a  church  that  cost  us 
$8000;  and  on  the  14th  of  May  of  this  year,  it  was  pronounced  com- 
pleted, and  dedicated,  at  an  expense  of  $12,000;  a  church  out  of  debt, 
free,  and  which  I  think  can  be  said  to  be  self-supporting.  And  I  will 
add  that  if  this  Council  sends  to  us  now  for  a  contribution  to  aid  in 
building  other  churches,  it  will  be  responded  to,  and  that  money  can  and 
shall  be  returned. 

I  rejoice  also  to  say  that  in  my  State  there  are  thirty-two  Congrega-  \^ 
tional  churches,  sixteen  having  their  houses  of  worship  completed,  and 
sixteen  more  either  having  them  in  the  process  of  erection,  or  being 
unable  to  erect  I  think  Congregationalism  peculiarly  adapted  to  a  new 
country,  and  to  all  new  fields.  I  remember  very  well  leaving  Boston 
eleven  years  ago,  in  a  party  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-one  men  and  two 
women ;  and  in  that  company  there  was  a  Congregational  church,  as  we 
found  after  we  planted  ourselves  in  Lawrence,  Kansas,  on  the  first  Sab- 
bath. We  found  that  we  had  eleven  persons,  members  of  Congregational 
churches  somewhere,  and  they  gathered  together  in  Kansas,  a  church 
without  a  minister  and  without  a  bishop.  Congregationalism  will  plant 
itself  wherever  believers  go.  If  they  are  members  of  churches  any- 
where, they  can  come  together  bringing  letters  from  the  churches  of 
which  they  are  members,  and  naturally  and  easily  form  a  Congregational 
church.  The  Ilome  Missionary  Society  very  soon  sent  us  a  missionary, 
and  our  church  was  recognized  with  other  churches.  This  system  of 
policy  is  adopted  every  where.  It  can  go  south  and  so  encompass  the 
country  and  the  continent. 


4, 


270  EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

On  the  second  topic  I  would  say  that  I  do  not  suppose  that  in  reference 
to  my  own  State  any  extra  eflbrt  need  be  made.  We  are  not  an  inviting 
field  of  labor,  now  that  the  country  is  open  to  us,  —  the  continent  almost. 
We  are  living  "  in  a  grand  and  awful  time,"  and  I  wonder  if  we  feel  that 
"to  be  living  is  sublime."  Never  before  was  this  country  open  to  Xew 
Englanders,  or  to  men  of  our  sentiments,  as  it  is  open  to-day. 

I  want  to  say,  just  here,  that  we  have  a  Capital  now.  I  was  in  Wash- 
ington before  emancipation,  and  I  have  been  there  ever  since;  and  I  want 
the  churches  of  this  country  to  feel  that  they  have  a  Washington,  —  a  Cap- 
ital, from  which  we  are  not  shut  out  as  we  have  been.  There  are  ten 
thousand  young  men  in  Washington  from  the  free  States,  many  of  them 
from  New  England.  The  clerical  help  employed  in  the  departments  is 
largely  from  New  England.  A  Congregational  church  might  be  gath- 
ered there  of  two  hundred  young  men  to  begin  with.  If  we  are  going 
South,  Washington  is  the  gateway  to  the  South;  and  there  are  reasons 
why  a  Congregational  church  should  be  planted  in  Washington,  that  do 
not  so  urgently  exist  in  my  mind  why  they  should  be  planted  in  other 
places.  The  city  of  Washington  is  peculiarly  our  field,  —  the  field  of 
the  whole  nation.  Baltimore  is  in  Maryland ;  Richmond  is  in  what  was 
Virginia  —  I  do  not  know  what  it  is  now;  —  Charleston,  Savannah,  and 
all  the  Southern  cities,  must  eventually  come  under  some  local  organiza- 
tion; but  there  are  reasons  why  a  national  convention  should  concentrate 
some  peculiar  energy  upon  the  national  capital.  It  is  your  home  and 
mine.  Its  very  soil  has  been  consecrated  to  the  Union,  the  government, 
and,  thank  God,  latterly,  to  freedom.  [Applause.]  It  is  as  free  a  city 
as  Boston.  I  remember  when  we  used  to  walk  there  with  weapons,  and 
did  not  know  whether  our  lives  were  safe  or  not.  But  if  we  are  safe 
any  where,  we  are  to-day  safe  in  Washington.  To  think  that  the  Amer- 
ican Congregational  Churches  should  neglect  it,  should  not  have  a  large 
representation  there,  especially  since  your  churches  and  young  men  have 
so  large  a  representation  there,  seems  strange  to  me.  I  believe  that  the 
resolution  in  the  hands  of  your  business  committee,  that  the  Congrega^- 
tional  Union  should  take  specific  measures  to  establish  a  permanent 
church  of  our  denomination  there,  should  be  brought  forward  and  cor- 
dially adopted  as  the  sentiment  of  this  Convention. 

I  know  all  about  the  failures  we  have  had  in  the  past.  Congregation- 
alism will  always  fail  with  slavery.  You  could  not  plant  a  successful 
organization  of  our  denomination  where  a  part  of  the  church  were  free 
and  a  part  were  slaves.  Our  principles  would  not  allow  that  the  few 
should  outvote  the  many,  or  that  a  part  should  be  disfranchised  entirely. 

I  want  to  say,  in  conclusion,  that  this  subject  commends  itself  to  the 
Council,  because  this  is  a  peculiarly  favorable  time  to  make  the  eflbrt. 
We  want  a  church  there  that  shall  reflect  credit  upon  our  denomination, 
and  shall  accommodate  our  people.  A  church  in  Washington,  with  such 
a  minister  as  I  could  select,  could  have  a  congregation  there  of  two 
thousand  every  Sabbath.  There  are  more  than  twenty  Congregational 
ministers,  now  employed  as  clerks  in  the  departments,  that  would  go  into 
a  church  and  make  useful  members;  and  a  Sabbath  school  could  be 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BXnLDING.  271 

organized  with  their  aid,  such  as  could  be  found  in  no  other  city.  These 
mimsters,  broken  down  in  their  health  or  their  voice,  although  no  longer 
competent  to  labor  in  the  ministry,  are  good  earnest  men;  and  the  Con- 
gregational church  should  rgake  the  most  of  them,  as  teachers  in  the 
Sabbath  school,  and  members  in  the  churclu  And  their  influence  would 
extend  from  Washington  all  through  the  South. 

It  is  time  that  we  were  taking  possession  of  that  Southern  country. 
War  has.  desolated,  it  more  than  the  frosts  of  the  North  destroy  vege- 
table life.  There  is  a  new  creation  springing  up;  and  we  should  be 
there;  our  seeds  should  be  in  the  grovmd. 

The  doctrine  that  we  are  to  organize  those  States  again  where  they 
broke  oflf  to  go  into  the  rebellion  is  a  monstrous  heresy.  Let  the  gov- 
ernments be  inaugurated  by  those  men,  coming  back  as  they  would  now 
come  back, — taking  to  themselves  seven  spirits  more  wicked  than  the 
first,  —  and  I  assure  you  that  the  last  state  will  be  worse  than  the  first 
[Applause.]  Society  must  be  organized  by  beginning  at  the  bottom 
and  turning  it  bottom  side  upward,  because  it  has  heretofbre  been  so 
constructed  as  to  need  this  overturning.  But  I  will  not  prolong  my 
remarks  upon  this  point,  as  there  is  to  be  a  meeting  at  Faneuil  Hall  at 
12  o'clock  to-morrow,  upon  the  subject  of  reconstruction,  and  the  rest  of 
my  speech  in  that  direction  I  shall  make  there. 

,Rev.  J.  M.  Sturtevant,  Jr.,  of  Missouri,  said:  I  do  not  know,  Mr. 
Moderator,  whether  I  can  say  a  quarter  of  what  I  want  to  say,  in 
twelve  minutes,  but  I  feel  that  those  who  have  come  far,  some  of  them 
half  as  far  as  our  foreign  delegates,  and  some  quite  as  far,  should  say  a 
word  at  least  in  this  CounciL  My  home  is  in  Missouri.  I  have  seen  there 
some  of  the  work  of  reconstruction.  It  has  gone  further  in  some  respects 
there  than  any  where  else;  and  I  believe  that  in  our  exi)erience  there  are 
Bome  lessons  for  the  church. 

When  I  went  to  Missouri,  five  years  ago,  it  is  no  violent  language  to 
say  that  there  was  no  such  thing  as  free  speech  in  Missouri,  out  of  a  few 
of  the  principal  cities.  I  have  been  told  by  travelers  in  England  that 
our  English  friends  can  not  believe  that  in  a  civilized  community  there 
ever  was  such  a  thing  as  a  suppression  of  free  speech.  From  the  very 
coimty  where  I  have  my  home,  Dr.  Nelson  was  chased  by  men  hooting 
and  howling  for  his  life,  and  that  only  a  few  years  ago.  And  in  the  streets 
of  our  county  seat,  only  a  few  years  ago,  they  burned,  —  what  paper  do 
you  think?  —  for  anti-slavery  utterances,  —  the  "  New  York  Observer." 
[Laughter.]  I  have  heard  elders  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  pastors 
•of  the  same  denomination  rise  before  their  audiences  and  confess  that 
they  had  been  silent  on  the  subject  of  slavery  in  the  State  of  Missouri, 
when  their  consciences  bade  them  speak,  and  ask  God's  forgiveness  and 
the  forgiveness  of  the  Christian  conmaunity  for  that  silence  which  for 
years  they  had  not  dared  to  break. 

But  that  silence  has  been  broken.  It  was  broken  when  the  chains 
grew  so  tight,  the  demand  for  subserviency  so  violent  and  excessive,  that 
no  man  could  stand  it.  At  last,  speech  is  free  there  as  it  is  here.  But 
Buch  a  change  as  this  could  not  occur  without  a  thorough  visitation  of 


272  EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

God's  judgment  upon  those  who  had  suppressed  free  speech,  and  a  thor- 
ough contempt  for  those  who  had  been  suppressed.  Their  power  is  gone 
for  ever;  and  the  very  organizations  with  which  they  were  connected  are 
almost  in  some  places  refused  an  utterance  in  the  community.  God  has 
turned  society  upside  down.  The  men  who  scarce  dared  say  their  souls 
were  their  own  are  the  leaders  of  society  to-day. 

The  old  churches  have  been  closed,  —  some  of  them  by  the  soldiers, 
because  they  naturally  quartered  themselves  upon  their  enemies,  and 
their  worst  enemies  were  the  old-school  Presbyterian  and  Southern  Meth- 
odist churches.  They  have  made  their  homes  and  their  hospitals  in 
those  churches,  the  ministers  of  which  have  gone  off  into  the  rebel  army 
or  fled  the  country.  There  is  nothing  left  of  the  old  teachers  of  the  i)eo- 
ple.  These  changes  have  cut  people  loose  from  old  denominational  lines, 
strict  as  those  lines  have  been  in  the  West.  A  community  sent  word 
recently,  "  Brother  Turner,  wont  you  send  us  a  real  Yankee  preacher?  " 
That  is  what  they  wanted.    They  felt  that  such  a  man  could  be  trusted. 

Besides,  the  new  constitution  of  the  State  cuts  ofi*  from  teaching  and 
preaching,  everybody  that  can  not  swear  he  has  always  been  loyal 
to  the  government.  Such  has  been  the  change  that  I  verily  believe 
nearly  one  half  the  citizens  of  the  interior  of  the  State  will  move  out 
in  the  year  and  a  half  which  commenced  last  spring;  and  others  must 
come  in  and  take  their  places.  Those  that  are  left  desire,  in  religion  and 
politics  and  social  life,  something  entirely  diflierent  from  what  they  have 
known  before.  We  feel  therefore  that  this  is  a  glorious  time  to  plant 
Congregational  churches  with  the  new  institutions.  We  began  with  fear 
and  trembling.  We  expected  to  stand  alone.  We  expected  to  be  com- 
plained of  by  men  in  prominent  positions.  We  supposed  it  was  the 
work  of  years  to  make  the  people  understand  what  Congregationalism  is. 
To  our  surprise  we  had  no  sooner  explained  what  it  was,  —  an  assembling 
of  the  people  that  loved  God  and  Christ,  for  forming  a  religious  society 
to  be  governed  by  the  majority,  —  than  the  people  rallied  around  it,  and 
we  formed  churches  in  weeks  where  we  expected  to  be  months  about  it. 

Let  me  be  very  plain  here.  We  did  not  form  a  theological  seminary  to 
teach  our  candidates  the  catechisms  and  confessions  of  faith  before  we 
received  them.  In  fact  we  receive  people  into  the  church  just  as  we 
marry  people.  We  marry  people  that  love  one  another,  and  are  not 
already  married  to  somebody  else;  and  we  receive  people  into  the  church 
that  love  God  and  Christ,  and  the  gospel  for  Christ's  sake,  and  are  not 
already  connected  with  any  other  church.     [Applause.] 

Somebody  has  accused  me  of  building  a  church  out  of  Methodists' 
and  other  denominations.  I  put  no  Methodists  into  the  church  but  what 
I  found  lying  around  loose;  and  every  Christian  man  that  I  find  lying 
round  loose  I  propose  to  build  into  the  church  of  Christ.  All  these 
churches  are  orthodox.  We  state  in  plain  terms  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  the  gospel,  and  we  bring  them  to  unite  upon  those  principles. 
We  have  to  be  careful  to  state  them  in  simple  language,  so  as  to  be 
understood;  and  if  any  body  is  afraid  we  are  heterodox,  I  can  only  say 
that  I  met  upon  the  Council  a  man  from  Maine,  one  from  New  Hamp- 


EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING.  273 

Bhire,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  and  one  or  two  more;  and  when  we  came 
together  we  found  that  we  agreed  very  well  upon  what  constituted  the 
church  ol  Christ. 

In  the  present  movement,  which  was  rather  interrupted  by  a  guerilla 
movement,  we  heard  from  fifteen  towns,  and  in  all  but  one  of  those  fif- 
teen towns  there  was  an  immediate  call  from  a  Congregational  church 
for  a  Congregational  minister;  and  that  was  a  failure  for  special  reasonja 
that  are  not  likely  to  last.  And  I  speak  within  safe  limits  when  I  say 
that  there  are  fifty  more,  north  of  the  Missouri  river,  just  as  likely  to 
afford  places  for  ministers  as  those  fifteen.  But  they  must  be  occupied 
at  once,  or  the  opportvmity  will  pass.  And  these  churches,  though  small 
in  numbers,  are  promising  to  have  a  firm  hold  upon  the  community. 
Many  of  them  are  in  towns  once  flourishing,  and  now  so  surrounded  by 
fruitful  fields  and  advantages  that  they  must  renew  their  prosperity;  and 
they  are  oftentimes  the  only  churches  in  the  community  where  they  are 
planted.  We  can  not  wait  until  a  church  can  be  started  with  all  the  ele- 
ments of  power  and  success  that  belong  to  an  old  community.  We  must 
make  them  feel  that  we  bring  them  the  gospel  in  their  weakness.  We 
must  say  to  those  men  that  love  Christ,  If  you  are  feeble  and  few,  we 
will  help  you;  and  then  when  men  come  from  the  East  to  the  West,  we 
must  say  to  them.  Here  is  a  church  for  you,  a  small  church,  but  a  church 
of  Christ;  come  with  us  and  we  will  do  you  good.  This  work  will  make 
the  State  of  Missouri  a  thoroughly  Christian  conmiunity  so  far  as  tha 
best  organizations  can  go  to  make  it  so. 

Rev.  Prof.  Baktlett,  of  Illinois.  I  feel  as  though  we  had  now  just 
reached  the  great  thing  for  which  we  are  here  together.  It  is  a  great  thing 
to  declare  theoretical  principles,  —  to  set  forth  our  faith,  or  our  i)olity ; 
but  the  great  thing  we  have  now  to  do,  after  all,  is  to  go  to  work  and  take 
care  of  our  land  for  Christ  We  feel  at  the  West  oppressed  with  the 
greatness  of  the  work  laid  upon  us;  and  we  sometimes  feel  that  even  the 
plans  laid  before  you  are  vmworthy  and  insufficient,  when  we  think  of 
the  multitudes  of  the  troops  we  have  sent  to  conquer  the  South.  What 
is  it  that  we  propose  to  do?  To  devote  to  purposes  of  church  building 
just  about  one  half  the  annual  cost  of  a  single  cavalry  regiment;  and 
the  whole  income  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society  falls  far  below  the 
annual  cost  of  an  infantry  regiment.  Yet  with  this  preparation  we  are 
proposing  to  conquer  the  whole  South  1  When  we  look  around  upon  the 
churches  here,  and  remember  the  want  of  churches  in  our  own  vicinity, 
we  feel  that  our  brethren  here  upon  the  old  homesteads  have  yet  to  learn 
what  is  the  work  before  them.  We  want  not  merely  men  but  money. 
It  has  been  said  this  morning  that  money  is  not  the  chief  thing  we 
want;  but  we  do  want  money  to  do  the  work.  We  want  institutions, 
churches;  and  we  can  not  even  plant  them,  to  secure  an  influence,  without 
money.  There  are  societies  to  help  the  churches.  The  Tract  Society, 
and  the  Bible  Society,  the  Sunday  School  Union,  and  many  others,  will 
help  the  church,  when  the  acorn  shall  be  planted,  to  grow  up  into  a 
mighty  oak  spreading  its  branches  all  over  our  heads.  Our  want  at 
the  West  in  our  vicinity,  is  largely  money.    We  are  poor.    We  see  our 

18 


274  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

churches  bought  out  from  under  us  by  men  who  can  come  and  bid  more 
for  them,  and  can  perhaps  take  up  a  mortgage  upon  them.  We  can  not 
provide  for  young  men  who  want  to  be  educated  for  the  ministry, 
because  we  have  not  the  means.  Even  our  own  men  have  their  thoughts 
largely  concentrated  upon  the  old  homestead.  Two  years  ago  we  read 
the  record  of  some  $1,500,000  poured  out  upon  this  Atlantic  coast,  which 
went  into  the  old  institutions  that  have  been  planted  and  watered  for 
two  hundred  years.  I  felt  that  what  you  were  consuming  here  for  your 
daily  bread,  might  have  been,  at  least  a  portion  of  it,  our  seed  com, 
which  we  want  and  can  not  do  without. 

As  to  the  education  for  the  ministry,  we  find  that  there  is  a  class  of 
men  whom  we  must  employ, — men  whom  the  Master  calls,  practical  busi- 
ness men,  of  tact  and  judgment,  educated  by  contact  with  men,  and  not 
always  by  contact  with  literary  institutions,  —  men  with  a  life  and  force  in 
them  which  men  who  have  gone  through  a  protracted  course  of  study  do 
not  often  have ;  a^d  we  must  still  continue  to  take  these  men  whom  the 
Master  honors,  and  put  them  into  the  work. 

What  we  want  is  to  give  a  true  conception  of  the  work  opening  before  us 
at  the  West  and  at  the  South  and  to  get  up  something  like  that  spirit  of 
patriotism  and  loyalty  to  Christ  which  our  soldiers  have  exhibited  dur- 
ing the  campaign.  When  we  look  around  and  see  that  a  million  of  men 
have  fallen  directly  or  indirectly  by  the  war,  who  might  have  had  their 
lives  saved,  and  all  the  losses  of  the  war  prevented,  by  a  band  of  a  thou- 
sand, and  I  might  almost  say  one  hundred  ministers  of  Christ  spreading  the 
word  of  truth  in  its  purity  and  power  all  over  this  land,  we  can  not  but 
mourn  the  lack  of  foresight  that  failed  to  spread  the  gospel.  It  was  the 
institutions  which  you.  Christian  brethren  and  fathers,  gave  to  us,  which 
kept  the  troops  of  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  Iowa  from  being  marshaled  in 
deadly  conllict  against  the  men  of  Massachusetts,  New  Uampshire,  and 
Vermont.  That  was  the  reason  why  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  instead  of  lead- 
ing our  armies  to  victory  at  Richmond,  was  not  taking  your  own  capitol 
from  you  at  Washington. 

Rev.  E.  P.  Marvin,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  to  amend  the  report 
by  adding  the  words  "  and  faith  "  after  the  word  "  polity,"  so  as  to  recom- 
mend "  to  watch  carefully  over,  and  protect,  and  extend  the  church  polity 
and  faith  of  our  New  England  fathers." 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut  I  have  no  olyection  whatever  to 
that  amendment. 

Rev.  Mr.  Marvin.  The  distinction  between  us  and  the  Unitarians  is 
more  in  the  faith  than  in  the  i)olity;  and  while  I  would  be  willing  to  go 
as  far  as  any  other  reasonable  man  in  this  Council  to  receive  those  that 
are  weak  in  the  faith,  and  not  to  doubtful  disputation,  still  I  would  not 
have  it  go  forth  in  this  report  that  the  polity  is  all  we  want.  We  want 
that  which  sustains  the  polity  and  which  has  sustained  it  in  all  the  try- 
ing times  of  the  past  I  trust  it  will  go  forth  that  we  have  not  lapsed 
from  the  faith  of  our  fathers;  that  the  Congregational  churches,  repre- 
sented in  this  great  Council,  stand  by  their  polity  in  their  faith. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.    I  hope  this  question  of  Chris- 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDIKQ.  275 

tian  faith  will  not  be  pressed  upon  this  house  so  suddenly.  There  is  a 
report  upon  the  subject,  and  it  ought  to  be  known  when  it  is  to  come  up 
that  there  may  be  an  expression  of  opinion  upon  it. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois,  read  the  third  article  of  agreement  of 
the  Saybrook  platform,  as  the  Western  doctrine,  — 

^^  That  none  shall  be  admitted  as  members  in  full  communion  in  all  the 
special  ordinances  of  the  pospel,  but  such  persons  as  are  known  to  be 
sound  in  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion,  without 
scandal  in  their  lives,  but  in  judgment  regulated  by  the  word  of  God, 
and  persons  of  visible  holiness  and  honesty  credibly  professing  cordial 
subjection  to  the  will  of  Jesus  Christ" 

The  amendment  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  Massachusetts,  said:  when  this  Council  was  called 
together,  we  hardly  knew  what  the  providence  of  God  indicated  by  its 
call.  I  was  repeatedly  asked  what  was  the  object,  the  central  idea, 
bringing  together  this  great  body  of  men  to-day.  I  think  that  before  we 
separate  we  shall  all  feel  that  it  was  the  providence  of  God  that  brought 
us  together,  the  spirit  of  Christ  that  dwelt  in  us,  and  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  that  will  follow  us  home.  Our  brethren  at  the  West  can 
hardly  imagine  with  what  joy  we  meet  them,  and  greet  them,  and  hear 
them  speak,  and  feel  their  lire,  and  see  their  energy,  and  rejoice  in  the 
soundness  of  their  faith  and  ispirit  I  thought  yesterday,  when  our  Gov- 
ernor Andrew  sat  here  looking  at  you,  that  he  must  say  in  his  heart  that 
we  are  a  respectable  family;  that  he  would  feel  that  here  was  a  house  of 
heads.  I  wish  that  he  could  see  the  hearts  that  have  made  these  heads 
grow  old,  the  cares  and  anxieties  and  labors  of  these  dear  brethren  in 
that  best  and  holiest  of  all  causes,  the  cause  of  our  Master. 

We  are  called  upon  to  vote  great  sums  of  money.  When  we  met  at 
Worcester  last  autumn,  under  the  leadership  of  brother  Anderson,  we 
had  to  vote  8600,000  for  foreign  missions,  and  he  then  told  us  to  go  home 
and  collect  it.  Now  you  are  calling  upon  us  for  as  much  more.  I  don't 
wonder  that  my  brother  Badger's  face  looks  long  as  he  thinks  of  the 
thousand  home  missionaries  he  has  to  provide  for;  or  that  brother  Bald- 
win, the  father  of  all  the  colleges  of  the  West,  has  an  anxious  heart. 
We  have  a  great  burden  laid  upon  us.  I  begin  to  feel  it  already;  and  I 
have  no  doubt  that  before  we  leave  this  Council,  we  shall  feel  that  we  go 
home  with  such  a  burden  resting  upon  us  as  we  have  never  had  before 
and  can  never  have  again  while  we  live  on  God's  footstool. 

I  am  asked,  what  are  you  doing  here?  What  are  the  results?  We 
can  toll  fifty  years  hence,  or  one  hundred  years  hence,  better  than  to-day. 
The  results  will  be  beyond  all  that  we  can  to-day  describe  or  imagine. 
It  is  not  because  we  vote  so  much,  or  speak  so  much,  but  it  is  because  we 
feel  so  much.  It  is  the  moving  of  the  heart  under  the  influences  of  the 
Divine  Spirit,  and  the  spirit  of  the  Divine  Redeemer.  These  S760,000 
—  can  we  get  it  from  our  churches  ?  It  makes  us  feel  that  we  have  a 
heavy  load  to  carry,  we  who  are  pastors  and  must  take  this  home  and 


276  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

lay  it  upon  the  heart  of  selfishness  and  covetousness  and  worldliness. 
But  I  want  to  say  one  word  to  relieve  this  feeling. 

When  this  great  rebellion  broke  out  at  the  South,  we  felt  that  there 
was  a  power  behind  the  army  of  the  South  that  we  could  not  meet,  —  the 
power  of  four  millions  of  human  hands  working  to  support  and  sustain 
the  South  and  their  army ;  and  we  wondered  how  in  the  world  we  should 
ever  achieve  the  victory  with  that  power,  that  reserved  army,  behind 
fhem.  We  forget  that  in  New  England  and  the  free  States  we  have  one 
hundred  million  of  hands  behind  us,  working  for  us  day  and  night.  I 
mean  the  machinery  in  your  factories,  your  mowers,  your  reapers,  your 
spinners,  your  water-wheels.  The*l»achinery  in  the  free  States  now 
is  doing  every  day  the  work  of  one  hiyidred  millions  of  hands.  That 
has  created  the  wealth  that  has  carried  us  through  this  war.  And  that 
wealth,  that  power,  that  reserved  army,  if  it  is  brought  in  to  help  us  in 
this  cause,  will  give  us  the  money.  I  have  no  fear  about  that  There  is 
wealth  enough.  It  is  being  created  fast  enough.  No,  sir;  it  is  the  great 
danger  of  our  New  England,  Northern  churches  that  we  shall  be 
swamped  through  avarice,  through  worldliness,  through  the  prosperity 
of  this  world. 

Now  we  have  two  things  that  we  want  tn  do.  We  want  consecrated 
young  men  to  enter  the  ministry,  well  educated.  If  it  were  in  my  power,  I 
would  send  the  best  man  in  this  house  for  the  purpose  to  every  college  in 
New  England.  I  would  have  him  call  together  all  the  pious  young  men 
in  each  college,  and  talk  >vith  them,  and  pray  with  them,  and  get  them  to 
pledge  themselves  to  enter  the  ministry.  I  was  surprised,  not  long  since, 
upon  visiting  a  college  where  there  had  been  a  delightful  revival  of  re- 
ligion, to  find  that  that  subject  had  not  been  brought  before  them.  I 
could  blame  nobody  for  it.  But  when  the  subject  came  to  be  pressed 
upon  them,  there  was  a  response;  and  there  will  be  a  response  in  every 
college  in  New  England  if  we  may  come  to  the  ear  of  the  young  men 
who  there  profess  Jesus  Christ  Let  them  understand  the  trials,  the  self- 
denial,  the  labors,  and  the  glory,  and  they  will  enter  the  ministry. 

One  other  thing  we  want  We  must  enter  upon  a  new  exjieriment 
We  must  send  out  half,  third,  quarter  educated  men; — a  sort  of  system  of 
lay  preachers.  We  can  not  help  it.  The  providence  of  God  calls  for  it; 
and  we,  old  conservatives  at  the  North,  will  go  as  far  as  any  of  j-ou  in 
any  of  these  great  plans  which  the  providence  of  God  leads  us  to  take 
up.    [Applause.] 

One  thing  more.  I  feel  that  when  we  leave  these  meetings  and  go  to 
our  homes,  we  must  have  a  power  behind  us  beyond  that  which  brought 
us  here,  or  we  can  never  meet  the  responsibilities  of  this  day  and  hour. 
We  can  never  meet  these  responsibilities  imless  the  Spirit  of  God  rests 
upon  us,  and  goes  with  us  to  our  homes.  We  must  carry  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  our  hearts;  and  we  must  go  home  to  our  churches  taking  hold 
of  the  mercy-seat,  and  asking,  expecting,  believing  that  there  will  be  a 
tidal  wave  of  revival  reaching  over  our  churches  and  over  the  land,  that 
will  prepare  us  and  prepare  our  churches  to  meet  these  awful  responsi- 
bilities. Dear  brethren,  believe  and  you  shall  receive.  Go  home  expect- 
ing and  praying  for  this  great  reviical,  and  we  shall  have  it 


EVANGELIZATION CHURCH    BUILDING.  277 

'  Mr.  Pratt,  of  Massachusetts.  If  the  raising  of  $750,000  strikes  such 
a  dread  and  terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  ministers,  what  must  it  be  to  the 
laymen  who  will  have  to  raise  the  money?  It  has  been  proposed  to 
erect  a  Congregational  Church  in  Washington  city  at  a  cost  of  S100,000. 
Such  a  project  would  startle  the  people  of  the  West  and  South,  for  the 
money  proposed  to  expend  for  that  purpose  and  for  sipiilar  objects, 
would  build  five  hundred  churches  for  the  destitute  of  the  West  and 
South. 

Rev.  Dr.  Button,  of  Connecticut,  raised  the  question  of  order 
that  the  subject  of  the  church  building  in  Washington  was  not 
under  debate,  being  in  the  hands  of  a  committee. 

The  point  of  order  was  sustained. 

Hon.  Mr.  Holton,  of  Wisconsin.  I  was  called  out  of  New  England 
by  the  inviting  inducements  held  out  by  the  West  twenty-five  years  ago, 
and  made  my  home  in  Wisconsin.  The  opening  was  indeed  then  very 
great;  and  I  feel  constrained,  at  this  juncture  of  our  meeting,  to  say  a 
word  upon  the  growth  of  things  in  that  State  under  my  own  eyes.  We 
need  sometimes  to  encourage  ourselves  by  examples  from  the  past,  as 
well  as  by  peering  into  the  future.  When  I  first  went  to  Wisconsin,  it 
had  thirty  thousand  inhabitants  only.  I  have  seen  the  march  of  the  emigra- 
tion from  the  East,  of  men  who  have  come  to  make  their  homes  in  Wis- 
consin. Following  that  emigration  came  the  men  sent  out  by  your  noble 
Home  Missionary  Society ;  and  I  have  seen  the  gratifying  consequences. 
There  grew  up  two  hundred  churches  of  our  faith,  and  two  hundred 
learned  and  able  men  came  and  took  their  posts  there  as  servants  of 
the  Lord  to  lay  the  foundations  of  Christian  society.  As  I  have  seen 
coming  in,  the  men  from  foreign  lands,  th^  German  with  his  infidelity,  I 
have  paused  and  said,  What  shall  stay  this?  It  is  only  God  that  can  stay 
it. 

Fifteen  years  ago,  the  Infidels  said :  Let  us  have  a  convention  at  Water- 
town,  that  we  may  put  down  the  Sabbath.  We  gave  them  a  severe 
letting  alone.  They  expected,  considering  the  treatment  they  had  had  in 
the  Old  World,  that  we  should  come  there  and  put  them  down  by  force; 
but  we  gave  them  a  severe  letting  alone.  They  held  their  convention, 
adjourned  sine  die^  and  never  came  together  again.  But  we  went  and 
gathered  their  children  and  brought  them  into  our  Sunday  schools;  and 
thus  our  system,  so  silent,  so  mighty,  so  potent,  has  turned  aside  to  a 
great  extent  that  infidelity;  and  we  have  a  joyful  hope  now,  that  we 
shall  be  instrumental  in  leading  this  foreign  population  into  right  ways, 
through  our  system  and  policy  we  are  pursuing  there. 

When  you  of  New  England  have  sent  aid  to  our  churches  in  Wis- 
consin, I  can  stand  here  and  testify  that  the  results  have  been  noble  and 
encouraging.  I  am  an  humble  layman  myself;  but  I  have  seen  these 
things. 

Since  I  have  been  here  I  have  been  sent  out  upon  a  committee,  and 
there  I  met  brother  Salter.    Twenty-two  years  ago  this  spring,  when  the 


278  BVANGEUZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

steamer  passed  the  port  of  Milwaukee,  one  Saturday  night,  ten  or  fifteen 
of  your  men,  sent  out  from  New  England,  stopped  to  keep  the  Sabbath 
there,  on  their  way  to  Iowa.  Mr.  Salter,  then  in  his  primal  youth,  was 
one.  I  might  compliment  him  to-day  that  he  is  still  a  boy;  that  he  has 
kept  that  youth.  What  have  these  men  done  in  Iowa?  They  have 
tilrned  back  the  accursed  influences  of  the  South,  which  were  creeping  up 
from  the  Southern  States.  I  have  marked  those  men  with  singular  inter- 
est. They  have  filled  colleges  and  schools,  and  they  are  they  who  have 
by  their  influence  kept  back  the  inroads  of  slavery,  so  that  to-day  Iowa 
blossoms  like  the  rose. 

I  point  to  these  glorious  fruits  of  what  we  have  done  in  a  narrower 
field  in  the  twenty  years  that  are  past.  But  now  our  rebellion  is  done, 
and  we  have  not  only  the  eight  millions  of  men  on  our  own  soil,  whose 
eyes  are  turned  upon  us;  but  do  you  know  that  there  are  a  hundred 
million  of  eyes  turned  to  us  from  across  the  water?  Do  you  know 
that  this  highway  across  the  sea  is  to  be  traversed  as  it  was  never  trav- 
ersed before.  In  Germany,  in  Ireland,  and  throughout  Europe,  their 
eyes  are  turned  upon  us,  their  hearts  bend  toward  America,  and  they 
are  coming  as  they  never  came  before.  We  must  make  our  calculations 
not  only  for  the  eight  millions  here  in  such  perilous  need,  but  for  twenty 
millions  more  from  across  the  water. 

I  come  then  and  say  that  we  ought  to  rise  and  build  now,  and  lose  no  time. 
Mr.  Beecher  said  that  the  foot  of  slavery  is  shod  with  iron,  and  goes 
slowly.  And  if  it  is  also  true  that  the  foot  of  freedom  flies  fast,  we  should 
make  haste,  when  the  duty  is  laid  upon  us  to  build  the  waste  places  for 
the  cause  of  our  divine  Master. 

Dea.  Shelton,  of  Connecticut  The  practical  question  appears  to 
be,  how  the  $750,000  are  to  be  raised.  There  is  a  single  feature  of  this 
which  presses  upon  my  mind,  and  I  rise  with  great  reluctance  and  great 
diffidence,  for  the  purpose  of  provoking  abler  minds  to  bring  it  before 
the  Convention.  It  is  that  the  business  portion  and  the  wealthy  iK)rtion 
of  our  churches  should  be  brought  to  adopt  the  apostles'  method  of  sys- 
tematic benevolence,  in  principle,  if  not  literally,  laying  aside  upon  the 
first  day  of  the  week  according  as  the  Lord  hath  prospered  them ;  and 
until  this  is  done,  we  shall  not  reach  the  standard  of  the  gospel,  nor  shall 
we  be  able  to  meet  the  necessities  of  the  times.  Twenty -five  years  of 
observation  in  regard  to  the  working  of  this  principle,  when  adopted 
conscientiously,  have  tended  to  deepen  the  conviction  of  my  mind  that 
this  is  the  great  sheet-anchor  of  our  business  men,  to  keep  them  from 
drifting  away  from  the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  I  look  upon  the  active 
business  man  of  the  present  day  as  in  exceeding  danger,  in  these  days 
of  railroads  and  telegraphs,  this  age  of  steam,  and  in  the  pressure  of 
business,  of  losing  the  spirituality  of  his  heart  and  life.  The  remedy 
appears  to  me  to  be  that  it  be  laid  upon  his  conscience  that  once  a  week, 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  every  Sabbath,  he  ask  what  God  hath  done 
for  him  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  and  respond  to  his  duties  in  that 
respect,  and  his  obligations  to  the  church  of  Christ  and  his  Saviour. 
Those  things  being  brought  before  him  in  his  closet  every  week,  he 


EVANGELIZATION CHURCH   BUILDING.  279 

changes  his  Sabbath-day  religion  to  a  week-day  religion;  and  he  shows 
that  the  conversion  of  his  heart  to  Christ  meant  the  consecration  of  his 
property  also  to  the  Lord  his  master.  I  belike  until  something  like  this 
is  adopted  by  the  church  of  C  Urist,  to  put  a  stop  to  the  absorbing  cares 
of  the  business  of  the  world,  and  arrest  the  current  and  turn  it  into  the 
channel  of  Christ,  and  a  conscientious  devotion  to  his  cause,  there  will 
surely  come  up  from  week  to  week  and  from  year  to  year  this  question 
with  all  its  pertinency,  where  is  the  money  to  come  from?  But  when 
this  can  be  done,  when  our  yoimg  men  can  be  led  to  the  altar  of  Christ, 
to  consecrate  their  talents,  their  affections,  and  their  money  to  the  Lord, 
and  to  inquire  week  by  week  how  much  he  demands,  then  the  spiritual-* 
ity  of  business  men  will  not  be  consumed  by  the  pressure  of  their  occu- 
pations. 

riNAXCE  KEPORT. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  from  the  special  committee  on  Finance, 
reported  the  following  resolutions,  which  were  accepted  and 
adopted :  — 

Besolved,  That  the  finance  committee  be  requested  to  pay  the  minis- 
ters who  have  presented  a  statement  of  the  amount  of  their  expenses  in 
attending  upon  this  Council,  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  amount  so  presented; 
provided^  that  no  person  shall  receive  a  sum  exceeding  $200;  providedj 
also^  that  no  one  shall  be  paid  any  amount  toward  his  expenses  who 
receives  an  annual  salary  of  $1500  or  over. 

Besolved,  That  as  soon  as  the  finance  committee  shall  have  ascer- 
tained the  total  amount  of  these  expenses,  they  have  permission  to  make 
further  report  as  to  the  manner  of  securing  the  needed  sum. 

The  hour  of  one  o'clock  having  arrived,  the  Council  took  a 
recess,  under  the  rule,  until  three  o'clock,  p.m. 

AFTEBNOON    SESSION. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order  at  three  o'clock,  the  mod- 
erator in  the  chair.  The  consideration  of  the  reports  on  the 
Evangelization  of  the  South  and  West  and  on  Church  Building 
was  resumed. 

Rev.  Mr.  Howell,  of  Liverpool,  N.  S.  (leave  having  been 
granted),  addressed  the  Comicil.     He  said :  — 

Mr,  Moderator  and  Oentlemen  of  the  Cmmdl:  — 

I  felt  a  desire  this  morning,  when  brother  BUss,  from  Tennessee,  I 
presume,  was  addressing  the  Council,  to  say  a  word  or  two  in  confirma- 
tion of  his  views  in  relation  to  the  necessity  of  a  college  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  colored  men,  to  fit  them  for  labor  in  the  Southern  field.    It  was 


280  EVANGELIZATION CHURCH    BUILDING. 

my  happy  privilege  to  labor  in  the  Island  of  Jamaica  at  the  time  of  the 
emancipation  of  the  colored  people  there,  from  1836  to  1840;  and  it 
was  fomid  necessary,  in  (Mr  small  field,  to  introduce  a  class  ot  laborers 
of  this  order,  not  only  in  connection  with  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
of  which  I  was  the  agent,  but  also  in  connection  with  the  efforts  of  our 
Baptist  friends  on  the  same  island,  and,  I  believe  in  other  parts  of  the 
West  Indies;  and  we  have  found  it  work  exceedingly  well,  under  the 
supervision  of  the  missionaries  connected  with  those  islands.  That 
supervision,  I  presume,  will  long  be  needful  on  the  part  of  the  various 
agencies  that  may  be  employed  in  the  Southern  States. 

I  am  introduced  to  you  as  from  Liverpool,  N.  S.  I  hail  from  thence 
at  present  I  might  have  hailed,  but  for  my  sympathy  with  Kansas  in 
its  suffering,  from  the  State  of  Michigan;  but  being  denied  the  privilege 
of  advocating  the  democracy  of  the  Bible  there,  and  fearing  that  it 
might  be  so  in  other  fields,  I  removed  across  the  border.  But  still  I  have 
sympathized  with  the  brethren  of  this  body  in  all  their  movements.  I 
have  met  some  very  dear  friends  here,  with  whom  I  have  labored  in  that 
State,  and  many  others  whom  I  have  seen  elsewhere;  and  I  rc^joice  to 
meet  them  here.  I  want  to  express  the  rejoicing  that  I  feel  in  the  pros- 
pect that  is  before  you;  and  to  assure  you  that  I  have  had  cause  to  sj-m- 
pathize  with  you  in  the  past  in  relation  to  your  armies.  I  will  mention 
that  two  of  my  sons  have  been  fighting  your  battles.  I  rejoice  that  they 
have  been  preserved.  I  am  now  laboring  in  a  church  planted  by  de- 
scendants of  the  Pilgrim  fathers,  in  Liverpool,  Nova  Scotia.  We  are  few 
in  numbers,  and  exceedingly  weak;  but  our  hope  is,  as  yours,  to  go  for- 
ward. 

Rev.  Mr.  Turner,  of  Iowa,  I  have  been  long  enough  in  the  West  to 
have  some  knowledge  of  it  It  has  been  my  lot  to  be  with  and  mingle 
with  the  common  people.  Although  my  immediate  associates  in  the 
ministerial  associations  have  been  of  those  who  are  sometimes  called  the 
educated  class,  the  great  majority  of  ministers  by  whom  I  have  been  sur- 
rounded all  my  life  have  been  those  whom  we  call  uneducated.  The 
inquiry  has  come  up  whether  we  should  put  a  class  of  men  in  the  minis- 
try who  have  not  been  through  college.  I  should  be  glad  to  have  all  in 
the  ministry  educated  to  the  highest  degree,  if  you  please;  but  then,  I 
should  be  very  sorry  to  have  them  educated  to  death  [Laughter] ;  and 
my  conviction  is,  that  a  certain  amount  of  education  will  disqualify  them 
entirely  for  entering  our  new  fields.  If  we  could  have  them  so  educated 
that  they  would  be  willing  to  go  to  work  in  any  place,  in  any  position, 
and  use  all  their  powers  and  capacities,  and  take  things  just  as  they  come, 
why,  the  more  such  men  we  have,  the  better.  But  when  men  are  edu- 
cated above  their  position,  above  usefulness  and  above  willingness  to 
labor  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  the  less  you  have  of  such  education  the  bet- 
ter. [Laughter.]  We  have  had  some  examples  in  our  little  association 
of  Dubuque.  We  have  taken  up  several  whom  we  have  found  out  there 
upon  the  prairies,  who  have  never  been  in  a  theological  seminary,  never 
been  through  college,  and  set  them  to  preaching;  —  and  what  has  been 
the  result  ?    Why,  one  of  them  wandered  down  here  to  Massachusetts, 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  281 

and  you-  took  him  and  made  him  a  Doctor  of  Divinity.  [Laughter  and 
applause.]  Moreover,  you  have  kept  him  herel  Against  this  we  put 
in  our  protest.  There  are  two  others,  who  are  laboring  with  us,  who 
have  come  on  here;  and  I  must  confess  that  I  was  almost  afraid  to  have 
them  come  to  your  Eastern  churches  for  fear  you  would  keep  them. 
[Laughter.]  My  conviction  is,  that  if  we  are  to  supply  ourselves  with 
ministers,  we  must  take  such  men  as  we  have,  and  ask  God  to  endow 
them  from  on  high  with  the  capacity  and  the  ability  to  preach  the 
gospel. 

I  wish  to  say  a  word  with  reference  to  our  Congregational  polity.  I  have 
been  an  advocate  for  this  polity  a  great  many  years.  I  was  its  advocate, 
I  believe,  before  the  fathers  in  Massachusetts  were  —  when  they  ignored 
it  I  have  conversed  with  a  great  many  men  upon  the  subject,  in  times 
past,  and  I  do  not  recollect  a  single  instance  in  which  the  polity  was  not 
approved  by  those  before  whom  it  was  laid.  But  while  this  is  true,  there 
is  a  large  class  of  men,  —  the  majority  in  our  Western  States,  —  who  do 
not  know  what  Congregationalism  is.  They  know  what  Presby terianism 
and  Methodism  are;  they  know  what  Baptist  societies  are;  but  speak  to 
them  of  Congregationalism  and  they  ask,  "  What  is  it  ?  "  I  have  heard 
the  question  asked  whether  it  was  a  new  denomination,  which  had  sprung 
up  in  the  West  I  And  then  the  inquiry  is,  "What  do  you  believe?" 
Well,  we  tell  them  we  believe  the  Bible,  and  try  to  preach  the  Bible. 
"  Well,  where  is  your  book  of  discipline  ? "  We  have  never  had  any 
thing  of  that  character  to  show  them;  and  in  some  aspects,  we  do  not 
want  any  thing,  while  in  others  we  do.  I  hoped,  when  the  subject  of  a 
declaration  of  faith  and  a  declaration  of  church  polity  was  proposed  for 
the  consideration  of  this  Convention,  that  there  would  be  a  simple,  com- 
prehensive, common  sense  Declaration  of  Faith,  written  for  the  common 
people,  —  not  written  for  Andover  or  East  Windsor,  or  for  theologians, 
but  written  for  the  people;  something  that  the  people  could  understand, 
and  feel  that  it  expressed  the  truth  of  the  Bible;  and  by  the  side  of  that, 
I  hoped  there  would  be  put  a  declaration  of  polity,  so  short  that  it  could 
be  read  and  understood  by  all,  and  circulated  as  a  tract  among  our  West- 
ern people,  so  that  they  would  get  the  great  idea  of  our  polity  and  our 
doctrines  into  their  minds. 

Now,  you  may  think  it  strange,  perhaps,  but  if  a  man  should  go  out  in 
many  regions  of  the  West,  though  he  should  be  the  President  of  one  of 
our  noblest  colleges,  or  come  from  one  of  our  theological  seminaries,  and 
the  people  should  be  told,  "  He  is  Dr.  Such-an-one  "  —  "  He  is  President 
Such-an-one,"  it  would  not  have  the  slightest  influence.  '*  Let  us  see 
him,  and  hear  what  he  has  to  say,  then  we  will  judge  of  him."  There 
is  no  respect  for  titles,  there  is  no  respect  for  a  man's  standing;  but  — 
"  What  is  the  man  fit  for?  If  he  has  any  thing  to  say  that  is  common  sense, 
that  is  Bible,  let  us  hear  it  I "  The  mass  of  the  people  really  believe  the 
Bible,  —  that  is,  they  give  an  intellectual  assent  to  it,  —  and  they  are 
ready  to  hear  it,  and  ready  to  hear  any  thing  that  commends  itself  to 
their  judgment,  and  to  common  sense,  and  to  the  Bible.  We  do  not 
want,  in  expressing  our  belief,  to  teU  what  our  forefathers  believed  two 


282  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING. 

hundred  years  ago:  that  will  not  satisfy  the  people  of  the  "West.  And 
what  our  catechisms,  or  what  our  confessions  of  faith  are,  is  of  but  little 
consequence  to  them;  they  want  to  know  what  llvinp^  men  now  believe, 
what  living  men  now  preach  and  teach;  and  they  think  that  a  body  as 
large  and  as  respectable  as  this,  is  competent  now  to  tell  what  we  belieye. 
[Applause.]  It  has  been  my  hope,  I  say,  —  but  I  fear  I  may  be  disap- 
pointed,—  that  such  a  short  and  comprehensive  declaration  might  be 
made  that  we  could  say,  as  a  Council,  "  We  believe  it"  "We  need  ilot 
put  into  it  all  we  believe,  but  make  a  statement  of  what  we  actually  do 
beheve  with  reference  to  the  most  important  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  such 
as  we  wish  to  have  float  down  among  the  common  people,  and  affirm  before 
the  world, ''  Now  we  believe  this."  As  I  have  just  remarked,  we  need 
not  tell  them  it  is  all  we  believe,  and  we  need  not  tell  them  that  we  shall 
not  make  a  better  creed  when  we  come  to  have  another  Council ;  but  if 
we  can  agree  upon  one,  which  expresses  our  present  belief,  and  which 
agrees  with  the  word  of  God,  even  if  it  has  no  technicalities,  even  if  it 
will  not  interest  especially  those  who  are  guards  upon  our  Zion,  my  be- 
lief is  that  such  a  declaration  would  be  of  great  moment. 

Rev.  Mr.  Johnson,  of  Maryland.  The  only  claim,  Mr.  Moderator, 
that  I  can  have  upon  even  a  few  moments  of  the  time  of  this  Council  is 
found  in  the  feet,  that  I  am  here  representing,  with  only  one  companion, 
a  whole  State;  and  yet  that  would  hardly  seem  to  constitute  a  valid 
claim,  since  we  have  but  a  single  Congregational  church  in  the  State,  and 
that  a  little  one  —  the  very  Benjamin  of  the  flock.  But  you  will  not  on 
that  account  despise  it,  nor  despise  its  representatives. 

Congregational  Christianity  makes  its  first  home  in  Maryland  in  a  large 
city,  —  in  the  city  of  Baltimore;  and  on  that  account  it  maybe  proper 
that  I  should  say  a  few  words  with  reference  to  that  part  of  this  report 
which  relates  to  the  work  in  cities,  because,  also,  there  it  is  a  now  work, 
and  because  there  may  be  more  questionings  concerning  it  than  any  thing 
else  that  is  recommended.  It  would  seem  to  be  perfectly  natural  that  in 
this  enterprise,  as  in  every  other  that  we  should  undertake,  with  a  view 
to  extending  ita  ramifications  into  various  parts,  we  should  seize  first 
upon  the  foci,  the  centers  of  trade,  and  population:  and  if  we  look  back 
to  the  primitive  and  apostolic  days,  we  shall  find  that  this  natural 
process  is  precisely  in  accord  with  the  genius  of  Christianity  itself,  and 
has  the  sanction  of  the  Master;  for  the  apostles  went  into  the  cities  of 
Asia  Minor,  the  cities  along  the  Mediterranean,  and  the  cities  of  the  Ro- 
man Empire,  not  stopping  until  they  reached  the  great  capital  itself;  and 
in  all  these  cities  they  ordained  elders  over  permanent  local  churches.  We 
are  but  following  their  steps,  if,  entering  into  a  new  region  of  our  country, 
we  look  to  the  great  cities  as  the  points  to  be  first  occupied. 

But  this  work  is  peculiar.  There  are  special  objections  that  may  arise. 
There  are  some  upon  the  ground  itself.  For  example,  let  me  come  down 
to  that  particular  field  into  which  I  just  now  entered,  the  city  of  Balti- 
more. Baltimore  is,  one  might  almost  say,  a  city  of  churches.  There  is 
more  quiet  there  on  Sunday  than  in  Boston.  There  are  no  street  cars 
running  on  Sunday.    I  think  that  qtute  as  large  a  part  of  the  population 


EVANGELIZATION — CHURCH   BT7ILDINO.  283 

attend  church  there  as  in  this  city.  A  great  many  of  the  churches  are 
Boman  Catholic;  then  there  are  Episcopal,  Episcopal  Methodist,  Baptist, 
and  Old-school  Presbyterian  churches,  and  one  small  New-school  Pres- 
byterian church.  "Why,"  it  may  be  asked,  "go  upon  this  ground, 
already  preoccupied?  Why  run  the  risk  of  collision  with  these,  some  of 
them  Protestant,  sects  ?  "  Well,  my  friends,  we  think  (not  to  mention  all 
the  matters  that  might  betnentioned  in  answer  to  that),  that  our  brethren, 
our  sons,  have  a  right,  if  there  is  room,  to  worship  God  after  the  manner 
of  the  fathers,  in  the  way  of  their  own  choice,  and  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  their  own  consciences;  and  though  there  are  Christian  churches 
there,  there  is  room  enough  in  any  great  city  for  a  new  enterprise,  and  if  it 
has  any  special  excellence  about  it,  then  it  has  as  much  right  to  build  on  that 
soil  as  any  other  Christian  denomination.  We  believe  our  denomination 
has  some  excellences.  Here  is  the  matter  of  church  polity,  which  I 
do  not  think  we  have  praised  too  much,  nor  are  likely  to.  I  hope  we  are 
not  going  to  say  hereafter,  as  we  have  said  before,  too  many  of  us,  that 
that  is  a  matter  secondary  and  indifferent  It  is  secondary,  and  it  may 
be  indifferent,  if  it  does  not  involve  a  transgression  of  the  equal  law  of 
Christ  The  denial  of  that  law  is  just  as  much  heresy  as  the  denial  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  of  the  trinity,  or  any  similar  doctrine.  It  is 
anti-Christ  And  tell  me,  from  what  other  source  have  flowed  such 
streams  of  corruption  and  wickedness  as  ,the  transgression  of  Christ's 
principles  in  the  church  itself?  We  are  going  to  put  a  value  upon  our 
church  polity,  yet  not  so  as  to  deny  the  Christian  brotherhood  and  equal 
rights  of  our  brethren  who  prefer  some  other  form.  We  prefer  this,  and 
have  a  conscientious  belief  that  it  is  the  best,  and  has  the  sanction  of  the 
Scriptures. 

Then  our  methods  are  different  from  those  of  our  brethren  who 
already  occupy  those  regions.  Our  preaching,  not  superior  to  theirs, 
not  abler,  not  more  eloquent,  is  different  from  theirs,  in  that  it  is  less 
technical,  less  doctrinal,  and  more  practical.  It  includes,  as  part  of  the 
practical  application  of  Christianity,  the  duties  of  men  in  the  State  and 
to  the  State.  We  preach  politics  in  a  high  and  true  sense.  I  do  not 
say  that  none  preach  it  in  a  wrong,  partisan  sense;  but  I  believe  in 
preaching  it  in  this  sense,  that  the  principles  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  are  fjo  be  applied*  to  man's  relations  to  society  and  to  the  » 
Btate.  Our  Puritan  fathers  taught  us  that  the  scriptures  were  composed 
in  large  part  of  politics,  — ^  the  application  of  religious  principles  to  poli- 
tics. We  have  been  taught  from  that  source,  and  therefore  our  exist- 
ence in  the  South  is  significant  Most  of  the  churches  on  that  soil  (I  do 
not  speak  with  deflniteness,  for  I  have  not  definite  knowledge  enough) 
have  been,  I  believe,  derelict  and  false  to  the  Master,  in  that  they  have 
either  preached  disloyalty  and  secession,  or  else  remained  silent;  and 
our  sons  and  brothers  who  have  been  there  have  felt  as  our  fathers  did 
when,  in  Holland,  they  heard  strange  speech,  such  as  their  fathers  had 
not  heard,  and  turned  with  longing  eyes  to  their  old  home,  and  then 
looked  away  to  a  new  home,  where  they  could  plant  the  institutions  of 
their  own  choice  and  conviction.  So  do  our  brethren  f^l  in  those  South- 
em  cities* 


284  EVANGEMZATION CHURCH    BUILDIKO. 

Now  there  are  objections  to  establishing  churches  in  cities  on  the 
score  of  expense.  We  can  not  plant  churches  in  cities  without  incurring 
more  expense  than  in  rural  districts.  Here,  for  example,  is  a  little  band 
of  twenty-five  people,  organized  into  a  church  in  the  city  of  Baltimore 
about  four  weeks  ago,  by  a  council  called  for  that  purpose,  and  among 
them  only  three  or  four  of  any  pecuniary  means.  What  can  they  do? 
What  have  they  to  do?  First,  pay  current  expenses,  which,  with  any 
true  economy,  will  not  be  less  than  §2000  a  year.  Then  they  must  either 
worship  in  a  hall  where  to-day  there  may  be  preaching  and  to-morrow 
dancing,  —  a  place  filled  with  those  associations  which  do  not  attract 
devout  people,  —  or  go  to  work  and  fix  somewhere  a  center  around 
which  the  church  may  crystalize,  and  draw  toward  itself  those  who  are 
scattered  over  a  wide  field.  In  the  first  place,  they  have  got  to  purchase 
a  lot,  and  they  can  not  get  it  for  two  or  three  hundred  dollars,  as  they 
could  if  it  was  in  the  country,  but  they  must  pay  §100  a  foot,  the  best 
they  can  do;  and  it  will  tax  them  ten,  twelve,  or  fifteen  thousand  dollars 
to  get  the  lot  "What  can  they  do  unless  they  are  helped?  M}'  brother 
Gulliver,  who  preceded  me  in  Baltimore,  preaching  to  this  little  flock, 
said  to  them,  *'  Brethren,  go  on,  and  the  North  will  help  you.  The  Con- 
gregational Christians  of  the  North  will  not  say,  'Walk  alone!'  because 
you  are  in  a  city.  They  will  see  that  you  are  infants,  and  can  not  walk 
unless  you  have  a  finger  or  a  hand  stretched  out  to  help  you,  and  they 
will  extend  the  whole  hand  to  help."  I  told  them  so  the  first  time  I 
visited  them,  when  I  had  no  expectation  of  being  identified  with  them  as 
their  minister.  I  said,  "  I  know  by  the  beating  of  my  own  heart  how 
the  hearts  of  the  sons  of  the  old  Puritans  will  beat  with  you  and  for 
you,  and  I  know  that  they  will  respond  to  any  call  that  you  may  make 
for  help."  Now,  they  want  a  little  help.  They  want  to  build  a  little 
chapel.  They  do  not  ask  any  one  to  endow  them  with  a  great  church 
edifice.  If  they  ever  want  one,  they  will  grow  to  it  and  build  it;  but 
they  ask  for  a  little  chapel  now,  in  order  that  they  may  grow.  I  speak 
of  Baltimore,  not  because  I  want  to  make  it  a  specialty,  but  because  I 
know  it,  and  because  the  presentation  of  the  state  of  things  there  will 
disclose  to  you  the  condition  of  things  in  other  places.  Maryland  and 
Baltimore  have  some  claim  upon  you.  It  was  Maryland  that  first 
wheeled  from  the  ranks  of  Secession  into  the  ranks  of  Liberty,  and  she 
ought  to  have  the  first  Puritan  church.  More  than  that,  it  was  in  Mary- 
land, in  the  streets  of  Baltimore,  that  the  first  martyrs  of  the  war,  sons 
of  Massachusetts,  fell  by  the  hands  of  Baltimore  ruffians.  We  must 
retaliate,  —  in  the  name  of  Christianity,  we  must  retaliate,  by  giving 
them  good  for  evil;  and  we  must  give  them  the  best  we  have,  and  that 
is,  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims;  —  and  this  we  must  do  over  all  the 
South. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts.  I  came  here  charged  with  a 
speech;  but  the  twelve  minutes'  rule  has  dissipated  what  little  prepara- 
tion I  had  made.  I  do  not  complain  of  that  rule,  because  I  see  that  the 
•  idea  is,  that  the  edifying  counsel  shall  be  in  the  reports,  and  the  hard 
facts  in  the  speeches.    I  stand  here  as  a  witness.    I  have  recently  re- 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING.  285 

tamed  from  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  where  I  have  been  in  very  familiar 
intercourse  with  various  individuals  and  classes,  and  I  believe  I  can  state 
some  facts  which  will  be  of  importance  to  the  Council,  in  connection 
with  the  subject  under  discussion. 

I  will  say,  first  of  all,  —  it  is  due  to  the  band  of  noble  men  and  women 
there  who  have  applied  for  assistance  to  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  —  that  I  was  very  cordially  received ;  that  I  found  them  ready, 
BO  far  as  they  could,  to  co-operate  in  any  enterprise  which  had  for  its 
end  the  establishment  of  a  loyal  Congregational  church  in  that  city. 
There  were  some  obstacles,  however,  which  I  need  not  enumerate  here. 
I  propose  simply  to  call  your  attention  to  a  few  facts  bearing  upon  this 
question.  Is  there  a  call  for  a  church  of  our  order  in  the  city  of  New 
Orleans?  (which  is  a  representative  city.)  If  there  is,  what  is  the  method 
proper  to  be  adopted  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  end?  That  there  is 
a  call  for  such  a  church,  I  would  infer  from  this.  The  Northern  people 
there,  and  the  loyal  people  who  have  long  resided  in  the  city,  imbued 
with  evangelical  views,  look  around  them  in  vain  among  all  the  old 
churches  of  the  city  for  a  single  place  in  which  they  can,  with  comfort, 
I  had  almost  said  in  which  they  can  without  a  violation  of  their  con- 
sciences and  the  compromise  of  their  sacred  convictions,  worship  God. 
Our  New  England  people  would  look  naturally  first  to  the  Presbyterian 
churches,  of  which  there  are  three.  The  first  of  these  churches  is 
famous  all  through  the  laud,  and  its  former  pastor,  —  its  present  nominal 
pastor,  —  the  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  is  known  wherever  the  rebellion  has  been 
heard  of.  He  still  remains  the  pastor  of  that  church;  the  people  still 
pray  for  his  return ;  and  I  was  assured  by  several  members  of  the  con- 
gregation, that  he  would  be  most  cordially  welcomed  when,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  he  should  be  restored  to  them.  The  acting  pastor  of 
that  church  is  a  Northern  minister,  I  believe  a  Scotchman  by  birth;  and 
in  order  that  you  may  understand  the  kind  of  preaching  that  they  now 
eiyoy  in  those  Presbyterian  churches,  I  will  give  a  short  account  of  my 
own  attendance  upon  a  single  service.  It  was  on  the  Sabbath  which  had 
been  set  apart  by  the  military  authorities  for  a  public  thanksgiving,  in 
view  of  the  great  national  successes  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
Richmond.  Having  no  engagement  in  the  morning,  I  went  to  the  First 
Church, — the  most  elegant  and  commodious  church  edifice  in  Louisiana. 
The  Psalm  that  was  read  was  the  twenty-third  Psalm;  and  especial 
emphasis,  the  significance  of  which  could  not  be  missed  by  any,  was  laid 
upon  the  words,  "  Thou  preparest  a  table  before  me,  in  the  presence  of 
mine  enemies."  The  prayer,  which  ought  to  have  been  a  thanksgiving, 
was  a  prayer  that  God  would  give  his  people  there,  and  throughout  the 
land,  a  spirit  of  submission  to  his  righteous  judgment.  The  tone  of  the 
prayer,  from  beginning  to  end,  evidently  rose  from  the  feeling,  that  they 
had  been  called  as  a  people  to  endure  very  severe  chastisements.  Then 
followed  the  sermon,  —  an  Orthodox  sermon  of  approved  staple  in  that 
respect  from  beginning  to  end.  But  what  struck  me  in  the  sermon,  — ' 
in  which  there  was  no  allusion  to  national  victories  or  national  trials,  — 
was  one  remarkable  display  of  courage.    In  the  midst  of  the  sermon,  the 


286  EVAJIGEUZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDINO. 

venerable  minister  was  about  to  assert  a  truth,  as  it  would  seem  firom 
his  manner,  under  imminent  danger  of  martyrdom.  He  said,  with  up- 
lifted hands,  "If  I  were  to  be  led  to  the  stake  for  saying  it,  if  I  were  to 
lay  my  head  on  the  block  for  saying  it,  I  would  still  assert  tfuit  man  is  a 
sinner^  and  must  he  saved  by  the  grace  of  God.^^  [Loud  laughter.]  I 
have  given  you,  not  an  exaggerated,  but  a  perfectly  candid  description 
of  that  religious  service;  and  there  is  no  church  in  the  city,  of  the  Pres- 
byterian order,  which  holds  out  greater  attractions  than  that  church  to 
our  New  England  people.  There  remain,  it  is  true,  two  Methodist 
churches,  occupied  now  by  ministers  under  a  military  order,  and  a  Bap- 
tist church,  given  over,  by  a  military  order,  in  the  same  way,  to  a  loyal 
minister;  and  many  of  our  New  England  people  have  very  properly, 
with  great  earnestness  and  zeal,  thrown  themselves  into  those  churches, 
and  are  doing  what  good  they  can  in  connection  with  such  ministrations 
as  they  there  enjoy.  The  substantial  gospel,  doubtless,  is  preached,  but 
you  can  well  understand  that  those  who  have  been  trained  up  in  our 
New  England  churches  are  hardly  satisfied  with  preaching,  the  sub- 
stance of  which,  to  say  the  least,  is  Arminian.  There  is  a  call,  there- 
fore, by  the  loyal  Christian  people  of  New  Orleans  for  an  evangelical 
church;  and  I  think  the  preference  among  them  is  very  decidedly  (al- 
though it  must  be  said  the  majority  have  been  formerly  Presbyterian) 
for  a  church  order  which  has  not  been  compromised  by  imy  connection 
with  slavery  or  with  the  great  rebellion. 

There  are  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  organization  of  such  a  church. 
One  of  the  principal  is  want  of  a  church  edifice.  I  believe  to-day,  that  if 
you  would  give  me  §35,000, 1  could  establish,  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans, 
a  Congregational  church,  the  influence  of  which  would  be  felt  all  over 
the  Southern  States.  A  church  edifice  can  be  bought  now  for  less  than 
half  its  original  cost,  which  would  amply  accommodate  all  who  might 
desire  to  attend  upon  a  Congregational  ministry  for  years  to  come. 

In  regard  to  the  colored  people,  of  whom  there  are  about  40,000  in  the 
city,  I  will  say  that  I  formed  a  very  close  acquaintance  with  them;  and 
I  enjoyed  my  intercourse  with  the  colored  ministers  and  my  attendance 
upon  the  colored  churches  more  than  any  other  labors  which  I  j)erformed 
or  any  other  privileges  which  I  enjoyed.  Much  has  been  said  of  the 
ignorance  of  the  colored  people.  I  want  frankly  to  say,  that  the  colored 
people  of  New  Orleans,  with  whom  I  had  such  large  acquaintance,  did 
not  strike  me  as  so  extremely  ignorant.  Many  of  the  free  colored  people 
of  that  city  are  very  thoroughly  e<lucated,  and  several  of  their  ministers 
are  very  well  qualified  to  instruct  them,  not  only  in  religious  matters, 
but  in  their  rights  and  duties  and  privileges  as  citizens.  The  very  best 
address  I  heard  in  the  city  on  the  assassination  of  our  beloved  President, 
was  by  an  aged  colored  minister,  —  an  address  which  thrilled  me  from 
head  to  foot,  and  made  my  eyes  overflow  with  tears.  There  is  not  a  col- 
ored person  in  the  city  who  is  not  loyal.  [Loud  applause.]  And  how- 
ever much  I  might  assent  to  the  general  principle,  that  the  exercise  of 
the  elective  franchise  ought  to  be  conditioned  upon  a  certain  degree  of 
education,  —  looking  over  the  population  of  Louisiana,  I  believe  that 


EVANGELIZATION CHURCH   BUILDING.  287 

those  who  are  at  present'  best  qualified  for  the  exercise  of  that  privilege 
are  the  free  colored  people  and  the  freedmen.  [Applause.]  I  went  down 
South  a  bit  of  an  old  fogy;  but  I  came  home  greatly  changed  in  that 
respect    [Applause.] 

The  colored  people  need  thorough  instruction  of  a  moral  even  more 
than  of  a  religious  nature.  Their  ideas  and  conduct,  in  regard  to  two 
or  three  of  the  cardinal  virtues,  are  perhaps  somewhat  questionable;  and, 
if  I  can  have  the  time,  I  would  like  to  relate  two  incidents,  in  as  few 
words  as  possible,  for  they  illustrate  the  very  vices  which  prevail  among 
them,  and  which  must  be  uprooted  by  proper  instruction.  A  colored 
woman,  regarded  as  eminently  pious,  who  had  been  long  an  inmate  of  a 
Christian  family,  was  sent,  on  one  occasion,  to  the  market.  There  she 
saw  a  fat  goose.  She  had  a  craving  for  the  goose,  and  slipped  it  under 
her  apron  and  carried  it  home.  She  was  detected;  and  when,  the  next 
Sunday  morning,  she  asked  her  mistress  if  she  had  permission  to  go  to 
church,  her  mistress  said,  "  Mary,  you  know  you  stole  that  goose  the 
other  day;  how  can  you  go  to  the  sacrament?  Don't  you  remember  that 
goose?  "  "  Lor,  missis,  do  you  think  I'd  turn  my  back  on  my  blessed 
Jesus  for  dat  old  goose?  "  [Great  merriment]  The  other  fact  is  not 
an  amusing,  but  a  significant  one.  While  I  was  in  the  city,  a  quadroon 
woman,  splendidly  dressed,  having  a  nurse  with  a  baby  in  her  arms, 
stood  up  in  the  colored  church  to  ofier  her  infant  for  baptism;  and  a 
white  man,  with  whom  she  had  lived  for  years,  appeared  with  her.  The 
child  was  his.  The  minister  was  asked  afterward  by  a  friend  of  mine,  — 
"  Were  those  persons  husband  and  wife?  "  "  Oh,  yes,  husband  and  wife." 
"  But  I  mean,  have  they  been  married?  "  "  Oh,  I  don't  know  about  that," 
said  he;  "  probably  not"  That  answer  wOl  suggest  to  the  minds  of  this 
Council  a  great  deal  of  solemn,  and  perhaps  very  sad,  reflection. 

Rev.  Mr.  Thome,  of  Ohio.  Brethren  of  the  Council,  —  I  may  be  per- 
mitted to  say  that  I  belong  neither  to  the  East  nor  to  the  West,  but  to 
the  North  and  to  the  South.  To  the  latter,  originally,  natively,  and 
therefore  by  ties  which  can  never  be  wholly  sundered,  let  the  South  do 
as  she  may.  I  am  very  strongly  reminded,  on  being  in  Boston  now,  that 
thirty-one  years  ago,  this  month,  then*  a  youth  from  Kentucky,  and  just 
emancipated  from  the  trammels  of  a  slave-holding  family,  I  had  the  honor 
of  speaking  in  this  city  on  the  then  rising,  and  since  great  question  of 
the  land  and  of  the  world,  —  the  emancipation  of  the  enslaved.  Now, 
after  the  lapse  of  thirty  years,  I  meet  here,  not  a  handful  of  the  citizens 
of  Boston,  but  a  great  multitude  of  the  representatives  of  the  numerous 
churches  in  the  East  and  in  the  West,  who  have  come  here  to  look  down 
from  their  elevation  upon  the  South,  and  to  entertain  the  great,  and,  as  it 
seems  to  me  the  paramount  inquiry,  "  What  can  we  do  —  we  who  dwell 
in  those  States  that  have  been  blessed  by  the  institutions  of  the  Puritans, 
and  have  seen  their  blessings  springing  up  in  the  -institutions  of  the 
church,  the  family,  and  society,  —  what  can  we  do  to  dissemirfate  our 
hallowed  institutions  in  the  South?  " 

I  wish  to  speak  for  the  South;  not  for  Baltimore;  not  for  New  Orleans; 
not  for  a  few  prominent  metropolitan  positions  in  the  South,  —  but  for  that 


288  EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

great  field,  that  magnificent  empire  which  the  war  has  opened  to.us  — 
opened  to  us,  pre-eminently,  among  all  the  Christian  peoples  of  this  land. 
I  find  myself,  sir,  as  representing  that  great  field  before  you  in  an  hum- 
ble capacity,  between  two  great  peoples  there,  in  both  of  whom  we  ought 
to  feel  a  profound  interest.  On  the  one  hand  is  that  class  who  are  known 
as  "  the  poor  whites,"  who  have  been  more  or  less  involved,  indeed,  in 
the  war  of  the  rebellion,  but  who,  after  all,  have  but  little  of  the  crimi- 
nality of  that  rebellion  resting  upon  them,  and  who,  in  their  ignorance, 
in  their  religious  destitution,  in  their  utter  distrust  of  the  religious  estab- 
lishments which  have  hitherto  been  in  operation  among  them,  look  now, 
they  scarcely  know  whither.  They  look  by  a  divine  guidance,  no  doubt, 
to  us,  for  religious  institutions  that  shall  be  adequate  to  their  necessities. 
I  speak  for  them  to-day;  and  I  speak  in  their  behalf  with  intense 
earnestness,  that  we  may  heed  the  call  of  Providence,  and,  seeing  by  the 
eye  of  faith  their  outstretched  hands,  asking  us  to  come  to  their  help, 
may  avail  ourselves  of  this  opening  of  Providence,  and  introduce  the 
Christianity  which  we  represent  into  and  among  the  families  of  this 
poorer  class  of  the  whites  of  the  South,  —  always  poor,  rendered  poor 
by  slavery,  and  now  rendered  doubly  poor  by  the  rebellion,  which  has 
desolated  their  country,  and  crushed  them  under  the  heel  of  a  military 
as  well  as  a  civil  despotism. 

Then,  sir,  on  the  other  hand,  I  see  millions  of  the  lately  oppressed, 
redeemed  from  their  oppression,  liberated  from  their  bondage,  —  oh,  how 
strikingly,  and  how  gloriously,  —  by  a  sudden  stroke,  the  stroke  of  war 
and  the  stroke  of  the  President's  pen;  liberated  from  oppression  and 
bondage!  — and  yet,  not  liberated  from  the  dark  bondage  of  ignorance, 
of  religious  demoralization  and  debasement  Now,  the  query  with  me 
is,  how  shall  that  people  be  elevated  most  rapidly?  With  all  the  advan- 
tages that  may  be  secured  to  them  by  political  action,  or  by  the  magna- 
nimity'', generosity,  or  justice  of  the  government  elevating  them  to  the 
position  of  citizens  in  this  land,  and  introducing  them  as  rapidly  as  prac- 
ticable and  exi)edient  to  the  fullest  privileges  of  citizenship,  —  after  all  this, 
which  may  be  a  question  of  time,  and,  indeed,  which  may  await,  in  part, 
our  action,  —  there  still  lies  at  our  door  a  work  of  a  religiovft  and  educa- 
tional nature,  which  they  are  calling  earnestly  upon  us  to  render  to  them ; 
and  as  I  have  studied  their  wants,  their  necessities,  —  their  most  pressing 
present  necessities,  —  I  have  felt  that  the  providence  of  God  had  most 
manifestly  convened  this  Council  at  this  time,  more  especially  that  it 
might  look  upon  this  degraded  and  outcast  people,  now  being  lifted  up 
into  view,  and  that  it  might  provide  for  them  those  religious  institutions 
which  are  so  well  calculated  to  elevate  them.  Our  churches  are  local 
churches;  that  is  the  prominent  idea  in  our  system  of  church  polity;  and 
the  establishment  of  churches,  not  merely  in  the  cities  of  the  South,  but 
all  over  the  Southern  country,  where  on  the  one  hand  the  poor  whites, 
and,  on  the  other,  the  poorer  blacks,  may  find  true  Christian  nyrture, 
and  a  position  of  equality,  if  not  in  the  State,  at  least  in  the  church, 
where  they  shall  be  self-governed,  and  have  the  charge  of  their  own 
religious  afiairs,  would  be  the  very  best  and  most  rapid  means  of  pre- 


EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING.  289 

paring  tliem,  as  we  well  know  for  the  discharge  of  their  political  duties 
and  their  civil  duties  also. 

It  is  on  this  ground,  Mr.  Chairman,  that  I  wish  to  urge  the  importance 
of  that  work  which  is  now  being  done  by  the  American  Missionary  As- 
sociation and  kindred  bodies,  —  but  especially  by  that  body.  In  one  of 
our  reports  to-day,  honorable  allusion  has  been  made  to  this  Association, 
as  a  body  which  has  rendered  its  claim  paramount  to  our  support  and 
countenance  in  its  endeavor  to  diffuse  a  true  Christian  polity  and  true 
Christian  faith  among  the  colored  people  of  the  South.  Let  us  labor 
through  tliis  instrumentality,  not  discouraged,  not  with  faint  hearts,  but 
with  strong  confidence  that  God,  having  opened  this  field  to  us,  will  per- 
mit us  to  occupy  it. 

Kev.  Dr.  Post,  of  Missouri.  Mr.  Moderator  and  brethren  of  the  Coun- 
cil,—  I  do  not  know  that  I  should  occupy  your  time  at  all,  but  that  I 
have  thought  you  might  think  it  a  little  strange  that  one  who  has  been 
for  many  years  an  out-po5^  [Laughter]  of  your  denomination,  —  toward 
the  extreme  of  your  denominational  watchmen  to  the  South  and  West,  — 
should  not  add  a  word  in  regard  to  the  experience  of  the  years  which  he 
has  there  spent,  and  which  furnish  some  results  that  may  guide  in  the 
present  crisLs  of  affairs. 

When  I  first  took  charge  of  a  Congregational  church  that  had  estab- 
lished itself  in  St.  Louis,  the  question  was  asked  by  many,  "  What  is  the 
need  of  a  Congregational  church  in  this  city,  and  what  call  is  there  from 
Providence  for  it?  " — such  questions  as  have  been  propounded  to  us  by  my. 
brother  from  Baltimore.  I  have  lived  long  enough  to  see  that  God  had 
an  end  in  view  in  planting  that  church  there,  in  the  focus  of  this  great 
moral  strife,  and  at  a  time  in  the  history  of  this  country  when  a  power 
such  as  gathers  round  the  principles  of  your  polity  and  your  faith,  has 
had  a  most  beneficent  vocation  and  influence;  and  I  believe  that  the 
existence  and  action  of  this  church  (I  may  say  it  without  challenging 
any  thing  for  myself),  have  had  much  to  do  with  the  condition  of  Mis- 
souri to-day,  as  a  loyal  State,  and  one  that  has  decreed  the  abolition  of 
slavery.  I  therefore  believe  that  it  will  be  found  to  be  of  moral  profit 
to  aid  the  beginnings  of  churches  in  cities,  after  the  apostolic  plan.  Not 
that  the  country  should  be  neglected;  but  the  idea  has  been  entertained 
by  some  that  no  aid  was  required  in  such  places.  You  never  render  aid 
where  it  will  produce  more  important  results.  Graft  a  church  upon  a 
growing  metropolis,  and  it  grows  with  the  metropolis,  and  it  acquires 
power  as  the  men  gathered  in  it  have  power;  it  becomes  a  progressive 
thing,  and  at  last  a  mighty  thing. 

One  word  about  the  obstacles  in  Missouri.  The  obstacles  that  have 
been  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  progress  of  that  church  have  not  l)een  so 
much  opposition  to  us  on  the  ground  of  our  anti-slavery,  as  hostility,  for 
some  strange  reason,  to  the  church  principles  that  we  have  advocated. 
And  I  will  say,  too,  that  it  comes  from  your  own  children,  —  because 
they  are  your  own  descendants.  Those  who  have  been  nourished  by 
your  money,  and  sent  forth  from  the  bosoms  of  your  families,  from  your 
churches,  and  from  your  seminaries,  have  regarded  Congregationalism 

19 


290  EVANGEUZATION — CHURCH    BT7ILDINO. 

and  Abolitionism  as  two  isms  too  full  of  vague  evil  and  odium  to  carry 
through  that  country. 

I  wish  to  say  one  thing  here.  We  are,  brethren,  very  glad  to  welcome 
members  of  your  churches  there,  but  I  hope,  if  they  come  there,  they 
will  understand  something  of  the  difference  between  your  church  polity, 
so  dear  to  your  fathers  —  for  it  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  greatest  gifts 
of  God  to  them  —  and  all  the  other  forms  that  come  in  to  lay  claim  to 
them  and  draw  them  to  themselves.  There  was  a  time  when  I  felt  this 
more  bitterly  than  I  can  tell.  We  do  not  need  your  help  now,  but  there 
may  be  others  in  the  same  situation,  and  remember  them. 

There  is  in  Southern  Missouri  a  vast  field  for  the  enterprise  that  we 
are  now  projecting,  or  talking  of ;  and  I  wish  to  put  in  one  protest  in 
regard  to  the  churches  that  may  be  there  formed.  Brethren,  do  not 
require  of  us  that  we  be  exactly  correspondent  to  the  old  type  of  the 
church  in  New  England.  There  are  many  communities  there  where  the 
old  ecclesiastical  organizations  have  been  broken  up,  and  the  disinte- 
grated fragments  have  been  scattered,  with  no  principle  of  union.  They 
stand  looking  each  other  in  the  face,  none  of  them  strong  enough  to  form 
an  organization,  —  their  children  growing  up  in  barbarism;  and  when 
they  would  unite,  some  string  of  dissent  or  malice  draws  them  apart 
Now,  some  Christian  man  with  great  common  sense  will  rise  up,  eventually, 
and  say,  "  Brethren,  what  do  we  here  ?  Shall  our  children  grow  up 
in  barbarism?  Shall  we  have  no  Christianity,  no  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel? Why  not  come  together  on  common-sense  ground?  Cleaving  to 
the  essential  principles  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  laying  aside  those 
which  difitinguish  us  from  each  other,  let  us  come  together  on  the  princi- 
ples of  brotherly  equality,  one  man  possessing  the  same  franchise  as 
another.  You  have  a  Congregational  church  in  consequence,  and  you 
have  the  great  articles  of  faith,  which  may  not  be  a  very  complete  sys- 
tem of  theology,  but  which,  if  they  were  more  complete,  would  be  in- 
complete and  imperfect  for  the  object  for  which  such  a  system  is  there 
required. 

I  wish  to  say  one  other  thing  in  connection  with  that  Do  not  be 
alarmed  at  it  Do  not  be  afraid  we  shall  go  to  wreck  and  ruin  and  de- 
struction in  consequence  of  it  There  is  less  danger  of  it  now  than  there 
was  years  ago.  The  reason  is,  wo  have  been  placed  in  circumstances 
where  work  has  been  required  ;  and  I  wish  to  say,  that  I  hail  this  rolling 
by  the  Almighty  of  a  burden  upon  our  denomination  as  a  great  blessing 
this  hour,  a  great  means  of  preserving  us  pure  in  doctrine  and  keeping 
us  to  the  principles  of  our  church  polity,  keeping  us  in  proper  order; 
and  under  this  influence,  aiming  to  convert  men,  the  churches  will  grow 
in  orderliness.  The  ships  sailing  toward  the  same  port,  guided  by  the 
same  star,  will  find  that  they  are  not  ^'cry  far  ofi*,  though  they  do  not 
stop  to  consider  each  other's  latitune  and  longitude  as  they  pass. 

One  word  more  here.  Although  I  feel  grateful  to  those  who  present 
complete  systems  to  us, —  the  symbols  that  represent  us  before  the  world, — 
I  do  not  have  any  apprehension  for  the  loss  of  Christian  faith  or  true 
orthodoxy,  while  the  church  is  doing  its  great  work,  is  practically  awake. 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDINO.  291 

any  more  than  I  have  of  the  loss  of  the  theory  of  Copernicus,  or  the 
theory  of  gravitation,  while  men  are  working  amid  the  great  dynamics 
of  the  outer  world.  [Applause.]  While  rivers  roll,  and  masses  fall,  and 
the  stars  are  wheeled  in  their  spheres,  men  will  hold  to  it,  without  a  set 
of  philosophers  getting  together  every  few  years,  and  resolving  that  the 
Copernican  system  is  true.  [Applause.]  Kow,  Christian  brethren,  this 
great  system  of  our  dynamics  is  alive;  it  is  no  theory;  no  logic  can 
prove  it;  no  words  can  evolve  it;  it  is  a  thing  into  which  men  and  com- 
munities grow,  and  you  might  as  well  attempt  to  carve  out  a  populous 
city  of  beauty  and  life  from  northern  icebergs,  under  the  eternal  win- 
ter, —  you  might  as  well  undertake  thus  to  create  a  living  city,  as,  stand- 
ing still,  without  doing  the  Lord's  work,  by  your  logic  and  theses,  and 
comparison  of  the  various  forms  of  theologic  thought,  hope  to  build 
up  a  Christian  church.  The  eternal  ice  will  not  waste  under  the  light, 
however  brilliant,  of  the  aurora;  but  call  the  sun  into  the  heavens,  let 
him  strike  down  into  the  germs  of  life,  let  him  wake  up  the  seeds  of 
vitality  there,  and  they  will  grow  into  beauty,  and  the  ice-fields  will 
change  themselves  to  paradise.  So  it  will  be  with  the  ecclesiastic  world. 
The  great  work  to  which  God  calls  us  to-day  is  the  force  of  moral  grav- 
itation which  draws  his  church  toward  one  mighty  center.  As  water, 
when  standing  still,  becomes  stagnant  and  breeds  pestilence,  but  when 
brought  under  the  influence  of  the  great  forces  of  nature,  becomes  a  liv- 
ing, vitalizing  power,  and  scatters  bloom,  life,  and  health  along  its  track, 
so  it  must  be  with  the  great  stream  of  life  which  flows  through  the 
church  of  God.     [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois.  I  speak,  not  to  make  a  speech,  but 
because  there  is  something  I  want  to  say, — something  that  I  feel  deeply. 
I  had  great  anxiety  with  regard  to  this  meeting  of  the  Council,  when  I 
perceived,  from  the  doings  of  the  committee  at  New  Yotk,  that  the 
declaration  of  a  creed,  and  a  declaration  in  regard  to  church  polity,  were  V 
included  among  the  matters  to  be  brought  before  it.  Not  because  I  did 
not  feel  the  importance  of  both  these  items,  but  because  I  was  deeply 
convinced  that  the  original  idea  of  this  movement,  in  the  Triennial  Con-  ^  \ 
vention  at  Chicago,  and  further  South,  where  it  originated,  was  simply^  .  \' 
practical;  it  was  simply  and  only  to  promote  the  work  of  evangelization ; 
ancTTTrave  felt,  ever  since  I  have  been  here,  afraid  that  there  would  be 
a  disposition  to  spend  the  time  in  talk,  in  remembrances  of  the  Pilgrims, 
in  visitations,  and  in  the  many  things  which  are  very  agreeable,  in  them- 
selves considered,  but  which,  in  the  end,  amount  to  nothing,  unless  they 
are  connected  with  distinct  and  deflnite  enterprises,  clearly  laid  out  and 
resolutely  undertaken.  If  I  were  asked  to  state  what  I  consider  to  be 
the  essence  of  this  assembly,  I  should  say,  —  Three  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars to  the  Home  Missionary  Society^  —  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars  to  the  American  Missionary  Association,  —  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  to  huild  churches.  When  you  have  stated  that  (you 
may  put  more  on,  if  you  please,  and  include  other  objects),  and  fairly 
put  your  shoulders  beneath  it,  with  a  resolute  purpose  to  raise  that 
amount  of  money;  if  you  separated  and  did  Qothing  else,  you  would 


> 


-    r      > 


V 


s  ^^ 


V  5 


\ 


s 


292  BVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

have  done  the  thing  for  which  this  body  came  together.  [Applause.] 
That  is  what  I  wish  to  bum  into  the  minds  of  this  assembly.  We  all 
know  that  in  mechanics,  if  you  undertake  to  lift  a  heavy  weight,  you 
must  put  your  force  beneath  the  center  of  gra\ity,  and  when  you  do 
that,  you  lift  the  weight  .You  may  apply  the  force  so  that  the  weight 
will  revolve  upon  its  axis,  and  there  will  be  a  great  deal  of  motion,  but 
you  do  not  lift  it;  and  we  all  know,  too,  that  if  you  undertake  to  move 
a  tree,  and  only  take  possession  of  the  root,  the  top  branches  will  go 
with  the  root  So  it  is  with  regard  to  this  question  which  we  are  met 
to  consider  to-day.  The  root  which  will  carry  the  branches  is  this 
^750,000.  I  have  been  more  interested  in  the  S750,000  than  I  have  in  all 
the  reports.  [Laughter.]  Not  that  I  have  undervalued  the  reports.  I 
consider  them  in  the  light  of  material  to  make  steam,  if  they  arc  prop- 
erly used;  but  it  is  the  $750,000  that  we  are  after  in  this  movement, 
[Applause,]  and  if  we  gain  it,  we  gain  the  end  for  which  we  have  come 
together,  and  if  we  do  not  gain  it,  we  do  not  gain  the  end.  There  is  no 
power  to  move  these  great  masses  of  men,  there  is  no  power  to  move 
these  great  enterprises,  unless  we  can  place  our  power  beneath  that  which 
is  the  center  of  gravity,  and  lift  that;  unless  we  can  place  our  power  be- 
neath that  which  is  the  root,  and  lift  that,  —  we  carry  the  branches  with 
it,  of  course.  Who  does  not  know  that  men  are  needed  in  the  ministry? 
Who  does  not  know  that  we  need  men  of  a  lower  grade  of  education? 
Why,  the  other  day,  when  I  went  to  ordain  a  man  in  Iowa,  a  brother  of 
Mr.  Thome  —  a  practicing  physician  —  came  to  me  and  told  me  that 
the  grace  of  God  wiis  burning  in  his  heart;  that  there  was  a  field  in  Mis- 
souri, and  he  felt  he  must  go  and  preach  the  Gospel ;  but  he  was  not  an 
ordained  minister,  and  how  could  he  go?  Well,  half  a  dozen  pastors 
said,  "We  will  give  him  a  written  recommendation  to  go  and  preach;" 
and  we  ga^e  him  a  recommendation  to  go  into  Missouri  and  preach  and 
gather  churches  as  fast  as  he  could.  [Loud  applause.]  I  gave  him  a 
letter  of  recommendation,  also,  to  brother  Turner,  who  is  the  agent  in 
that  field ;  and,  by-the-by,  he  is  a  sprout  that  came  out  of  the  college  at 
Jacksonville,  where  brother  Sturtevant  is  President. 

jS'ow,  the  question  is,  how  can  you  get  up  that  enthusiasm,  how  cai. 
you  get  up  that  earnestness,  how  can  you  get  up  that  resolution  in  New 
England  that  shall  bring  out  the  power  there  is  here?  The  agent  who 
went  through  New  England  in  behalf  of  Iowa  college.  Dr.  Holbrook 
(and  I  imagine  he  is  the  person  brother  Turner  referred  to  when  he 
spoke  of  somebody  who  was  stolen  from  the  West),  succeeded  very  well 
in  his  enterprise  up  to  a  certain  point,  and  then,  for  reasons  best  kno^Ti 
to  himself,  but  no  doubt  valid,  located  himself  where  he  is  now,  —  a  very 
useful  man,  I  have  no  doubt, — in  the  central  part  of  New  York.  But 
what  I  have  to  say  with  regard  to  all  such  movements  is  this:  that  just 
as  surely  as  New  England  shall  retain  an  amount  of  wealth  within  her- 
self which  is  enough  to  produce  corruption,  or  in  so  far  as  the  principle 
Of  self-denial  to  which  brother  Sturtevant  referred  is  not  made  really  to 
go  down  to  the  deptlis  of  the  property  there  is  in  this  State,  we  shall  fail 
of  our  object     That  brother  said,  it  was  perfectly  astonishing  what 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  293 

* 

wealth  there  was  in  the  churches  of  Massachusetts  alone.  Now,  what  I 
say  is,  if  we  have  a  power  of  Christianity,  if  we  have  a  power  of  con- 
viction, if  we  have  a  power  of  persuasion  and  faith,  that  shall  not  only 
warm  but  heat  all  this  mass  of  mind,  and  go  down  and  take  hold  of  this 
wealth,  and  take  hold  of  it  enthusiastically,  we  can  raise  the  $750,000. 
[A  Voice.  "  Make  it  a  million."]  Add  on  $300,000  more,  if  you  please; 
it  can  be  carried!  It  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  raise  it,  if  we 
only  have  the  power.  It  is  just  as  it  is  with  those  prodigious  steam-en- 
gines that  we  have  in  our  Western  steamers.  You  go  on  board  one  of 
those  boats,  and  while  the  engine  is  cold  it  has  no  power.  But  kindle  a 
tire  under  the  boiler,  and  make  it  bum,  and  then  you  see  the  smoke  com- 
ing out  of  the  pipe,  you  hear  the  steam  hissing  through  the  cracks,  and 
presently  the  boiler  is  full,  and  the  piston  begins  to  rise  and  fall,  and  the 
whole  machinery  is  instinct  with  life;  the  steam  plays  with  it  as  though 
it  were  a  mere  plaything,  and  the  vessel  moves  on  triumphantly.  Now, 
what  we  want  is  that  steam  power;  we  want  that  pervading,  that  pene- 
trating earnestness  of  conviction,  with  regard  to  these  great  interests, 
that  shall  not  only  make  New  England  willing,  but  shall  make  New 
England  truly  unable  to  do  otherwise  than  to  pour  forth  its  power,  its 
energy  in  this  great  work.  Oh,  what  is  money  worth,  if  it  is  not  to  be 
used  for  such  work  as  this?  Such  a  country  to  save!  such  a  society 
to  reorganize!  such  a  future  as  there  is  Mrithin  our  reach,  just  as  cer- 
tainly as  cause  follows  effect,  if  we  apply  the  proper  means!  What  is 
the  worth  of  money  when  God  thus,  as  it  were,  hangs  up  in  heaven  these 
great  signs,  these  great  omens;  and  when  God  thus  calls,  as  it  were,  from 
heaven,  —  what  is  the  worth  of  money,  except  to  respond  to  such  a  call, 
to  save  such  a  country,  to  penetrate  and  fill  with  the  pure  light  of  the 
gospel  all  those  vast  regions  that  are  open  to  us,  and  which  are  to  affect 
the  country  even  down  to  the  millennial  age,  and  beyond  it,  to  eternity. 

Dr.  Kirk,  in  behalf  of  Gardiner  G.  Hubbard,  Esq.,  of  Cam- 
bridge, presented  an  invitation  from  that  gentleman  to  the 
Council  to  take  tea  with  him  to-morrow  evening,  at  5i  o'clock. 
The  invitation  was  accepted. 

Mr.  BowEN,  of  New  York.  Mr.  Chairman,  —  when  this  great  rebel- 
lion broke  out,  one  of  the  first  questions  that  came  up  waa  the  money 
question.  I  was  delighted  when  the  Rev.  Dr.  Beecher  introduced  that 
question  here,  for  I  think  it  very  opportune  that  it  should  come  up  at  the 
present  time.  The  fact  is,  we  must  go  to  business  now,  and  go  to  the 
raising  of  the  $750,000,  or  we  shaU  fail  of  the  great  work,  the  practical 
work,  that  has  brought  us  together.  I  have  had  some  acquaintance  with 
the  working  of  the  850,000  fund  which  was  raised  in  Albany  a  good 
many  years  ago.  I  well  remember  when  that  convention  came  together, 
and  when  the  committee  was  appointed  (of  which  I  was  a  member),  to 
consider  the  question  of  church  building,  and  it  was  proposed  to  raise 
S50,000  for  that  object,  they  said  it  could  not  be  done,  and  recommended 


294  EVANGELIZATION — CHURCH   BUILDING. 

a  smaller  snm.  But  when  the  brother  from  the  West,  who  has  been 
referred  to,  who  has  lately  gone  to  the  State  of  Xew  York,  to  settle,  pr^ 
sented  his  argument  to  the  committee  and  told  his  story  in  regard  to  the 
wants  of  the  West,  and  we  had  heard  also  from  brother  Turner,  who 
spoke  earnestly  in  behalf  of  raising  that  money,  we  decided  that  $50,000 
could  be  raised,  we  resolved  that  it  should  be  done,  and  it  was  done. 
Sixty  or  seventy  thousand  dollars  were  raised  in  one  day  by  a  collection 
in  all  the  churches  for  that  object.  That  collection,  Mr.  Chairman,  and 
brethren,  was  one  of  the  best  gifts  that  the  church  of  Christ,  in  my  judg- 
ment, ever  gave  to  the  cause  of  this  country;  and  now  we  are  called 
upon  to  do  a  much  greater  work,  and  yet  a  work  which,  if  we  think  of  it 
proi)erly,  and  with  a  right  spirit,  will  be  a  small  work  for  ua  to  do. 
There  are  six  hundred  delegates  present,  if  I  remember  right  These 
six  hundred  delegates,  representing  the  Congregational  churches  of 
this  nation,  can  settle  that  question  before  they  return  to  their  homes. 
There  are  various  ways  to  raise  money.  Business  men  find  out,  when 
money  is  to  be  raised,  where  money  is  to  be  had,  and  they  come  at  that 
point  I  propose  to  make  a  few  remarks  in  regard  to  the  method  to  be 
taken  to  raise  this  money.  Suppose  any  of  you,  from  however  poor  a  dis- 
trict, perhaps  from  one  receiving  aid  from  the  Home  Missionary  Associa- 
tion, were  asked  to  raise  a  thousand  dollars,  would  you  not  say,  whether 
layman  or  minister,  if  that  work  was  put  upon  your  shoulders, "  Yes, 
if  it  must  be  raised,  I  can  raise  it  in  my  district"  Now,  if  each  one  of 
you  will  raise  a  thousand  dollars,  you  will  have  $600,000.  There  is  a 
proposition  for  you  to  think  of.  If  we  pass  this  resolution  to  raise 
$7.50,000,  we  must  take  hold  of  it  in  earnest  And  that  reminds  me  of  a 
little  story  that  I  heard  when  I  came  into  town.  A  friend  went  to  the 
Lunatic  Asylum  to  see  a  very  estimable  and  formerly  very  useful  woman, 
that  he  might  report  to  her  friends  what  her  condition  was.  She  ap- 
peared very  sane,  and  he  did  not  see  any  traces  of  insanity  about  her. 
She  talked,  he  said,  like  a  lady  and  a  Christian,  and  as  he  got  up  to  go 
away,  he  could  not  help  making  the  remark,  "  My  friend,  I  am  surprised 
to  see  you  here;  I  think  you  ought  to  go  home  to  your  friends."  "  Oh," 
said  she,  "  you  don't  understand  me;  you  don't  know  what  is  the  matter." 
"  Why,"  said  he,  "  what  is  the  matter?  "  "  I  will  tell  you  what  is  the 
matter  —  I  have  got  a  hobby.  Don't  you  know  what  a  hobby  is?" 
"  No,"  said  the  minister.  "  Well,  there  are  two  kinds  of  horses.  If  you 
get  on  a  four-legged  beast,  that  has  got  flesh,  and  blood,  and  bones,  you 
can  get  off  when  you  please;  but  if  you  get  on  a  hobby,  you  can't  get 
off.  I  have  got  on  a  hobby."  That  was  her  difficulty.  I  think  there  is 
a  good  deal  of  instruction  in  that  No  great  work  was  ever  accom- 
plished without  a  persistent  determination  to  carry  out  that  work.  What 
could  the  Home  Missionary  Society  have  done,  if  they  had  not  had  men 
who  made  it  a  hobby  —  made  it  a  life-work  to  take  hold  of  the  matter 
and  carry  it  through?  What  would  the  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
have  done,  if  men  had  not  taken  hold  of  it  as  a  hobby?  Now,  let  us 
make  this  a  hobby  for  the  time  being;  we  can  get  off  when  the  work  is 
done.    Let  us  devise  some  plan  by  which  we  can  raise  this  $750,000. 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING.  295 

We  can  do  it  It  may  stagger  you  to  think  of  it ;  it  is  a  very  large*  sum 
of  money  to  raise  in  these  times,  but,  brethren,  it  can  be  done.  The 
nation  is  roused  as  never  before,  and  we  ought  to  be  aroused  as  Chris- 
tians, to  do  the  work  which  God  has  placed  upon  us;  and  I  call  upon 
you,  brethren,  and  fathers,  every  one  of  you,  to  take  hold  of  this  matter, 
and  to  carry  it  through.  Relying  upon  the  blessing  of  God,  we  can 
carry  it  through,  and  who  of  us  can  tell  the  results?  —  who  of  us 
can  estimate  the  good  that  would  be  accomplished  by  raising  $750,000? 
Why  it  would  shake  the  nation;  it  would  shake  the  world.  Christendom 
would  rejoice  and  give  thanks  to  God;  we  should  have  a  day  of  thanks- 
giving, and  we  ought  to  have  one.  It  is  not  a  great  work,  after  all ;  we 
can  doit;  and  therefore  I  say,  that  I  hope  the  question  of  how  to  raise 
funds  to  carry  out  the  objects  concerning  which  we  have  had  such  able 
reports,  will  be  carefully  considered.  When  we  go  home,  brethren,  this 
matter  in  regard  to  the  raising  of  the  $750,000  will  be  about  the  only 
thing  that  we  shall  remember  of  the  Convention.  What  can  you  remem- 
ber that  occurred  at  the  Albany  convention  except  that  the  $50,000  fund 
originated  there  ?  If  that  fund  had  not  been  raised,  there  would  have 
been  scarcely  any  thing  about  it,  that  we  should  remember  now.  Let 
us  do  this  work,  and  we  shall  have  something  to  remember  and  praise 
God  for  as  long  we  live. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  of  New  York.  I  would  like  to  ask  what  the 
distinct  question  is  that  is  before  us?  What  do  we  commit  ourselves  to 
when  we  vote? 

The  Moderator.    The  first  question  to  be  presented  to  the  Coxmcil 
will  be  the  adoption  of  the  Report  on  Church  Building. 
Rev.  Dr.  Budington.    Is  that  question  still  before  us? 
The  Moderator.    That  is  the  question  still  before  us.    I  will  state 
the  position  of  the  business  before  the  Council.    There  was,  in  the  first 
place,  the  Report  of  the  Committee  on  Evangelization,  which  was  ac- 
cepted, and  therefore  before  the  Council.    Then  it  was  moved,  and  Qar- 
ried,  to  suspend  action  on  that  report,  and  the  Report  on  Church  Building 
was  introduced.     The  question  on  that  was  one  of  acceptance,  which 
was  carried.   The  question  then  was,  on  the  adoption  of  the  report.   It  was 
afterward  moved,  and  voted  by  the  Council,  that  the  two  reports  should 
be  considered  as  one  in  the  debate;  so  that,  when  the  debate  shall  close, 
the  question  will  recur  on  the  adoption  of  the  Report  on  Church  Building. 
Rev.  Dr.  Budington.  I  beg  pardon;  I  do  not  exactly  understand,  and 
I  think  the  brethren  around  me  are  in  the  same  state  of  mind  that  I  am. 
When  we  debate  a  report  which  ends  in  a  series  of  questions,  the  adoption 
of  the  report,  I  believe,  according  to  our  rules,  signifies  that  the  Council 
becomes  responsible  for  the  principles  embodied  in  those  resolutions  only. 
Now,  what  I  want  to  get  at  is  this:  How  much,  when  we  come  to  vote 
on  the  reports,  will  this  Council  commit  themselves  to  in  the  way  of  ap- 
probating the  principles  here  set  forth?    I  have  observed,  in  the  reading 
of  those  reports,  that  very  important  principles  are  commended  to  the 
adoption  of  the  Council  in  the  body  of  the  report    I  do  not  think  that 
the  distinction  has  been  observed  in  drafting  the  reports,  which  our  rules 


29G  EVANGELIZATION  —  CIILRCH    BUILDING. 

bave  presupposed.  Now,  there  are  several  points  of  principle,  which 
have  been  alluded  to  by  the  various  speakers,  upon  some  of  which  I  feel 
a  personal  and  special  interest,  and,  before  the  vote  is  taken,  I  wish  to 
have  them  distinctly  brought  up  before  the  minds  of  the  CounciL  I 
should  be  very  sorrj'  if  we  should  vote  blindly,  generically,  so  as  not  to 
commend  to  the  churches,  distinctly  and  understandingly,  the  principles 
that  have  been  incorporated  in  these  reports. 

TuE  MoDERAToii.  If  I  understand  the  position  of  the  business,  it 
is  that  these  two  reports  are  still  before  the  Council,  and  are  to  be  con- 
sidered together,  but  they  are  not  to  be  acted  upon,  or  voted  uj>on  as  if 
they  were  one,  but  they  will  be  separated,  and  when  the  vote  is  taken,  the 
question  will  be  on  the  adoption,  first  of  the  Report  on  Church  Building, 
and  then  of  the  Report  on  Evangelization.  "When  adopted,  the  Council 
do  not  adopt  the  principles  laid  down  in  the  report,  but  simply  the  recom- 
mendations contained  in  the  resolutions. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  The  brother  confuses  the  reports  of 
the  prei)aratory  committees  with  the  reports  that  have  just  been  read. 

Rev.  Dr.  Duttox,  of  Connecticut.  The  report  of  the  committee  is  in 
the  form  of  recommendations  to  the  Council,  which  constitute  the  whole 
bcxly  of  tlie  report 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington.  When  I  took  my  farewell  of  my  church,  I 
told  them  I  expected  to  present  to  them,  on  my  return,  a  deliverance,  on 
the  part  of  the  Council,  as  to  their  duties  as  a  church,  in  regard  to  the 
evangelization  of  the  country,  and  in  regard  to  the  development  of  the 
lay  talent  in  our  church.  Now,  I  want  to  carry  out  my  plan,  and  to  be 
able  to  say  what  in  the  opinion  of  this  body,  is  the  duty  of  the  churches 
in  regard  to  the  de\^lopment  of  the  slumbering  lay  talent  in  our  churches, 
which  I  understood  Dr.  Todd  to  say  was  demanded  in  order  to  occupy 
the  outlying  stations  of  Christian  eflbrt,  which  are  the  germs  of  distinct 
churches,  round  about  that  ancient  Puritan  church.  The  case  is  the  same 
with  my  own  church.  I  believe  there  are  men  in  my  own  church,  who, 
for  their  o>vn  spiritual  good  and  for  the  growth  of  religion  in  the  city 
of  Brooklyn,  need  to  have  this  urgency  brought  upon  their  understand- 
ings and  hearts,  and  I,  as  their  minister,  desire  to  be  instructed,  that  I  may 
bring  this  conscientious  obligation  upon  them;  and  I  have  risen  for  that 
jmrpose,  —  to  know  whether  this  Council  are  delivering  themselves  now 
ujwn  that  one  point  of  Christian  polity. 

Hon.  Mr.  Walker,  of  Michigan.  I  have  been  interested  in  hearing 
the  gentlemen  who  have  spoken  of  the  value  of  Congregational  churches 
in  our  frontier  cities.  I  have  had  something  to  do  in  planting  churches 
in  some  of  the  frontier  cities  of  the  West.  I  am  a  Western  man,  in  the 
matter  of  experience,  and  what  I  have  to  say  will  be  concerning  collegi- 
ate institutions,  and  that  method  of  propagating  Congregationalism;  —  in 
my  opinion,  after  an  experience  of  forty  years,  the  most  efl'ective  method 
of  all  in  advancing  the  principles  of  the  Puritans,  and  their  forms, 
throughout  the  West,  the  North,  and  the  South.  I  mean  to  speak  but  a 
very  few  moments  in  regard  to  the  question  of  promoting  Congrega- 
tional interests  in  the  North,  the  South,  and  the  West  by  emigration. 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  297 

The  very  best  centers  of  Congregationalism,  in  the  West,  —  the  cen- 
ters ft'om  which  have  been  diffused  ahnost  all  the  Congregational  power 
that  has  been  built  up  at  the  West,  —  have  been  the  centers  that  were 
colonized  from  New  England,  by  New  England  men,  by  New  England 
women,  who  have  planted  in  those  centers  their  institutions  of  learning, 
and  they  have  gathered  about  them  New  England  Congregationalists, 
their  children  have  been  educated  by  the  institutions,  and  they  have  sent 
forth  large  numbers  of  men  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  of  women  to  teach"in 
the  schools  of  the  West;  and  they  have  carried  with  them  spiritual  Chris- 
tianity, and  other  institutions  which  are  dear  to  this  body  to-day,  —  dearer 
than  they  were  some  years  in  the  past. 

To  illustrate  the  matter,  let  me  refer  to  the  institution  with  which  I 
have  been  connected  recently.  That  institution  has  sent  four  hundred 
teachers  into  the  schools  of  Ohio,  and  one  hundred  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel into  Ohio  and  the  West  in  five  years;  it  has  gathered  about  it  men 
from  New  England,  who  have  brought  their  children  there  to  be  edu- 
cated. I  need  not  name  the  institution,  but  I  have  no  hesitation  in  say- 
ing that  it  has  revolutionized  the  politics  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  and 
through  that  institution,  two-thirds  of  the  Congregational  churches  that 
are  planted  in  the  State  of  Ohio  were  originated. 

Now,  fathers  and  brethren,  go  from  Ohio  into  Michigan,  and  there  you 
will  find  a  nucleus  of  Congregationalists  settled  in  the  townships.  When 
they  settle  in  a  township,  they  bring  in  the  school,  the  academy,  and  the 
college,  and  from  that  center  goes  forth  the  influence  that  propagates 
Congregational  forms  and  CongregaJJonal  forces  through  the  wide  West. 
It  is  not  from  the  isolated  churches  in  the  country,  it  is  not  even  from 
the  isolated  churches  in  the  cities,  that  Congregational  principles  are 
difllised,  —  it  is  from  these  centers  of  power. 

The  last  words  I  have  to  say  are  these :  I  went  into  the  pulpit  from 
business  as  a  layman,  and  I  have  endeavored  by  experiment  to  learn 
what  was  the  best  method  of  evangelizing  the  West  and  South.  I  have 
left  the  old  places,  and  old  associates,  and  the  old  dwelling,  and  have 
gone  and  lived  in  a  log  cabin  in  the  extreme  northern  parts  of  the  south- 
ern peninsula  of  Michigan,  and  I  have  settled  five  townships,  and  organ- 
ized a  Congregational  church  in  each  of  those  townships;  and  in  three 
of  those  townships  there  was  nothing  else  but  Republican  votes  cast  at 
the  last  election.  We  expect  to  organize  three  more  townships  this 
year,  and  at  the  center  of  each  of  these  townships  will  be  a  Congre- 
gational school;  and  in  the  center  of  Bay  county,  where  there  was  not 
an  inhabitant  six  years  ago,  we  expect  to  establish  a  college  that  will 
propagate  Congregational  principles,  and  be  the  means  of  furnishing 
teachers  through  the  south-western  part  of  I^Iichigan.  We  have  now  the 
means  of  accomplishing  that  end,  in  part,  throughout  that  region.  I  see 
men  here  —  men  whom  I  respect  as  highly  as  any  man  here,  though  I 
respect  every  one  of  them  with  all  my  heart  —  who  know  that  Congre- 
gational churches  have  been  planted  there.  I  see  Dr.  Beecher  here;  I 
see  the  agent  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society  here;  and  they  know  that 
to  be  the  fact    We  were  on  the  ground  first.    We  brought  in  Congre- 


298  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

gational  forms  from  New  England,  and  planted  them  in  the  center  of  the 
townships  of  Southern  Michigan;  and  we  have  made  Congregational 
townships  in  Northern  Michigan,  and  in  the  center  of  those  townships 
we  will  plant  the  churches  and  schools  which  will  disseminate  Congre- 
gational principles  away  up  in  the* mining  region,  where  there  is  not  a 
Congregational  church,  but  which  is  now  teeming  with  population,  wait- 
ing to  be  visited  by  Congregational  teachers. 

Dr.  Todd  presented  an  invitation  from  Hon.  J.  Z. /Goodrich, 
collector  of  the  port  of  Boston,  to  make  an  excursion  down 
the  harbor,  in  the  U.  S.  steamer  Pawtuxet,  at  such  time  as 
might  suit  their  convenience.     [See  p.  384.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Clark,  of  New  Hampshire.  I  want  to  say  just  one  word. 
The  difficulty  with  us  in  this  part  of  the  house  is,  that  we  do  not  know 
what  all  this  talk  is  about  We  have  had  some  good  speaking,  but  we 
were  all  ready  to  vote,  and  could  have  come  to  a  vote  just  as  well  at 
eleven  o'clock  as  now,  and  saved  our  time  for  other  purposes. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  Permit  me  to  say,  that  there  has  been 
a  departure  from  what  has  been  regarded  as  the  order  of  business  for 
to-day;  to  wit,  that  the  report  should  be  read,  and  discussed,  and  no 
vote  taken  until  the  last  man  had  said  his  last  word.  We  lost  an  hour 
in  discussing  the  amendment  this  morning. 

The  reading  of  the  Report  on  Evangelization  was  called  for, 
and  it  was  again  read. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  of  New  York.  Is  it  in  order  to  take  a  vote 
on  this  subject? 

The  Moderator.  Both  the  reports  are  open  for  discussion,  but 
when  the  debate  shall  cease,  and  we  come  to  vote,  we  vote  first  upon  the 
question  of  the  adoption  of  the  Report  on  Church  Building. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington.    I  move  that  the  debate  now  cease. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut  I  hope  we  shall  not  have  the  pre- 
vious question  in  this  body.  I  wish,  sir,  you  would  allow  me  one  word 
of  explanation.  I  desire  to  say,  that  there  appeared  before  the  commit- 
tee a  great  number  of  gentlemen,  representing  various  institutions  of 
the  West  and  South,  and  various  destitute  parts  of  the  country.  We 
told  them  we  could  not  embody  their  details  in  our  report,  but  that  the 
substance  of  what  they  had  to  say  was  what  should  be  said  before  this 
Council,  to  stir  up  our  minds  to  the  work  which  it  had  been  doubted 
whether  we  should  enter  upon  or  not  Therefore  the  committee  made 
their  report  that  this  matter  should  be  laid  before  the  Council,  and  the 
debate  continued  through  the  day,  and  into  the  evening,  if  necessary, 
that  these  deliverances  might  be  made  to  stir  us  up,  and  that  then  we 
should  vote. 


V 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  299       '     A\;'> 

\      I 

Kev.  Dr.  Budington.  Well,  I  am  stirred  up  now — I  am  ready  to  vote. 
[Laughter  and  applause.]  Mr.  Moderator,  c;ui  bono  f  We  are  a  nation 
of  speakers,  or  have  been,  our  English  Mends  think,  and  can  talk  with- 
out limit.  I  am  willing  to  hear  talking  if  any  brother  has  any  thing 
fresh  to  say;  and  if  any  brother  desires  an  opportunity  to  address  the 
Council,  I  will  not  press  the  motion  I  have  made. 

Rev.  Mr.  Twining,  of  California.  I  hope,  brethren  of  the  Council, 
that  what  I  have  to  say  will  not  seem  to  come  from  one  who  is  not  inter- 
ested in  this  subject,  dt  who  has  nothing  to  say  that  is  worth  saying. 
The  churches  of  California,  who  have  sent  me  here,  desire  that  you  and 
the  churches  you  represent  should  be  informed  of  the  peculiar  state  of 
things  upon  that  coast,  and  that,  in  consequence,  they  should  have  the 
benefit  of  your  prayers,  of  such  deliberations  as  you  engage  in  here, 
and  of  such  plans  as  you  adopt. 

The  churches  of  California  full  well  understand  the  great  importance 
of  that  field  which  is  now  opening  in  the  South.  They  would  do  nothing 
whatever,  in  urging  their  claim,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  claims  of  the 
churches  in  that  field.  They  fldly  understand,  and  have  always  under- 
stood, the  great  claims  which  the  churches  of  the  West,  and  which  the 
new  fields  of  the  West,  have  upon  the  Christian  public.  But  they  feel 
that  there  has  risen  among  them  a  new  state, — a  state  and  a  civilization 
which  are  to  be  developed  under  new  conditions,  and  which,  as  surely  as 
the  sun  continues  to  roll  over  those  lands,  will  be  a  great,  rich  civiliza- 
tion; that  there  will  grow  up  there  a  population  most  numerous  and 
most  powerful,  and  which  is  destined  to  act  a  most  important  part  in  the 
future  of  this  country;  and  they  feel  that  upon  them  is  rolled  a  great 
burden  of  responsibility,  in  the  time  to  come,  to  possess  this  field  and  to 
win  it  to  Christ. 

I  can  not  go  through  here,  in  the  very  few  moments  that  remain,  with  all 
the  details  and  statements  which  I  should  like  to  make;  but  there  is  one 
view  and  one  idea  which  I  wish  to  present  to  you,  and  that  is  this:  that  this 
California  sphere,  and  this  whole  Pacific  sphere,  and  all  the  churches  con- 
nected with  that  sphere,  are  distinct  and  separate  from  the  churches  in 
the  East.  It  is  away  off  toward  the  setting  sun,  and  there  is  no  connec- 
tion between  you  and  it.  When  the  churches  of  the  West  fall  back  from 
the  outposts,  they  fall  back  upon  an  older  country,  upon  stronger 
churches,  upon  more  numerous  churches,  upon  colleges,  and  at  last  they 
come  back  to  Plymouth  Bock, — to  what  we  consider  the  foundation  of 
New  England.  But  when  CaUfomians  fall  back  from  their  cities,  when 
they  move  away  from  San  Francisco,  they  fall  back  upon  the  wild  Indian 
and  the  wilderness.  There  is  a  distinct,  separate  State,  which  has  its 
own  center,  and  in  one  sense  is  far  away  by  itself,  and  yet  which  is  to  be 
the  germ  of  a  new  civilization,  and  a  civilization  developed  under  pecu- 
liar circumstances,  and  differing  from  any  thing  else  upon  this  continent 
It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  a  State  so  growing,  that  a  State  so 
separated  from  the  other  parts  of  our  country,  and  from  the  churches  of 
our  country,  should  have  the  fullest  benefit  of  all  the  plans  of  evangeli- 
zation which  are  adopted  by  this  CounclL    They  feel  that  they  must 


300  EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

have  help,  and  the  principal  help  which  they  want  at  this  time  is  men. 
It  is  men  to  preach  the  gospel;  it  is  men  to  occupy  the  vacant  posts;  it 
is  men  to  stand  up  amid  the  mining  population  in  the  new  towns  and  in 
the  new  cities,  and  to  preach  Christ  in  such  a  way  that  they  shall  be 
heard,  and  shall  have  an  effect  in  shaping  the  growth  and  giving  charac- 
ter to  that  people.  They  are  greatly  thankful  for  such  pecuniary  help 
as  has  been  or  may  be  sent;  but  what  they  want,  and  want  most  of  all, 
is  men,  —  men  to  pray  and  labor  with  the  people,  and  preach  to  them. 
I  recollect  receiving  a  call  from  my  brother  Atkinson,  when  I  had  the 
fortune  to  be  in  Oregon.  He  did  not  know,  at  that  time,  that  he  should 
be  here,  and  be  able  by  his  own  word  of  mouth  to  urge  his  plea,  and  the 
burthen,  the  refrain  of  what  he  said  to  me  was,  —  "  Send  us  men  —  good, 
faithful,  earnest  pastors  —  to  ffll  these  pulpits,  to  do  this  duty;  "  and  the 
very  last  words  that  were  spoken  to  me,  as  I  was  on  board  a  steamer  in 
the  harbor  of  San  Francisco,  were,  — "  Remember,  there  are  six  or 
eight  new  churches  that  are  withoiit  pastors,  and  that  will  look  to  the 
East  and  to  the  older  churches  to  send  them  men;  and  we  will  give  the 
promise  that  we  will  support  them."  Now,  brethren,  there  stand, 
to  my  certain  knowledge,  within  the  boundaries  of  California,  eight 
churches,  in  communities  that  will  support  the  men,  if  they  shall  be  sent 
there.  They  want  these  men  to  come  to  them  and  labor,  and  if  they 
come,  they  will  support  them.  Therefore,  what  I  have  to  say  is,  that 
the  great  want,  the  first  petition  of  those  churches  is,  that  you  will  send 
them  men,  who  shall  be  M£K,  living  men,  to  work  with  them,  among 
them,  and  for  them. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Connecticut,  moved  that  when  the  Coun-' 
cil  adjourn,  it  be  until  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  that 
the  debate  continue  until  half  past  nine,  and  then  the  vote  be 
taken.  After  some  discussion,  the  question  was  put  and  the 
motion  lost. 

Kev.  Mr.  Webb,  of  Massachusetts.  I  want  to  occupy  one  moment  of 
the  time  of  the  Council,  to  say  this.  We  are  here  proposing  to  give  men 
to  this  work  of  evangelizing  the  continent.  We  are  proposing  to  raise 
8750,000  for  the  same  thing.  How  are  you  going  to  do  it?  Do  you 
expect  to  get  any  thing  out  of  my  pocket?  There  isn't  much  there.  I 
thought  this  morning,  when  these  resolutions  were  read,  that  I  was  ready 
to  vote;  but  the  more  I  think  about  this,  the  less  I  am  ready  to  vote.  I 
am  not  nearly  so  ready  as  I  was  this  morning;  and  why?  Because  I 
am  beginning  to  feel  a  personal  responsibility  in  this  matter;  and  if  you 
vote  this  thing,  if  I  have  a  son  or  a  daughter,  I  don't  see  but  I  am  com- 
mitted to  give  that  son  or  daughter  for  a  teacher;  and  if  I  have  a  hun- 
dred dollars,  I  don't  see  but  I  am  committed  to  give  that  I  don't  want 
to  vote,  imtil,  with  a  new  consecration,  a  new  baptism,  I  can  do  it.  If 
you  are  ready  for  that,  let  us  vote.  [Voices  —  "  We  are  ready."]  Then 
I  say  one  thing  more,  and  only  one.    When  this  Council  was  called,  it 


EVANGELIZATION  ^-CHURCH    BUlIJ)INO.  301 

was  proposed  that  the  churches  that  sent  delegates  here,  should  take  up 
a  collection  to  defray  the  expenses  of  this  Council.  We  have  heard  what 
the  result  of  that  was.  Now,  it  is  easy  to  vote  money;  it  is  not  quite  so 
easy  to  get  it  Not  one  half  the  money  has  been  raised  that  is  necessary 
to  pay  the  expenses  of  this  Council;  not  one  half  the  churches  have  re- 
sponded to  that  vote  with  a  dollar.  It  is  idle  for  us  to  vote,  and  go  away 
and  say,  "  Well,  the  church  at  Hartford,  or  the  church  at  Chicago,  or 
somewhere  else,  may  raise  this  money."  The  simple  question  is.  Are 
you  ready,  brother,  to  give  your  thousand  dollars  for  this  purpose? 
That  is  the  feeling  I  want  to  lind  in  me,  before  I  vote,  and  pledge  myself 
before  Almighty  God  and  my  brethren  here  to  accomplish  this  thing. 

A  motion  was  here  made  that  the  vote  be  taken,  which  was 
lost.     A  motion  to  adjourn  was  also  lost. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  Mr,  Moderator^ — Dr.  Beecher,  in  the  re- 
marks which  he  addressed  to  the  brethren,  properly  stated  that  this  money 
question  is  the  great  practical  question ;  by  which  he  did  not  mean  that 
there  should  be  a  unanimity  of  sentiment  in  this  body  with  reference  to  the 
propriety  of  raising  the  money,  but  that  there  should  be  a  unity  of  deter- 
mination on  the  part  of  this  body  to  secure  that  money.  I  wish  to  say  one 
thing,  which  is  a  practical  illustration  of  the  spirit  of  the  West.  I  think  I 
have  a  right  to  say,  of  the  characteristic  spirit  of  the  West,  where  the  move- 
ment for  the  assembling  of  this  Council  was  initiated.  A  layman  of  the 
city  of  Chicago,  feeling  a  deep  interest  in  the  ot^jects  proposed  by  this 
body,  assured  me,  that  if  the  proposition  now  before  this  body  to  raise 
the  money  specified  in  this  recommendation  could  be  carried  out,  he 
would  give  §10,000  toward  the  amount.  [Loud  applause.]  I  have  been 
waiting  all  the  afternoon  for  an  opportunity  to  state  this  fact,  in  the  hope 
that  it  would  stir  up  other  laymen  to  follow  suit,  and  the  pastors  of  lay- 
men to  manifest  a  kindred  spirit,  so  that  we  might  electrify  one  another 
and  go  home  to  rouse  our  congregations  to  take  hold  of  this  work  in 
earnest.  That  is  the  reason  why  we  need  to  prolong  the  debate;  but  I 
see  the  brethren  are  more  disposed  to  vote  for  a  sentiment  than  to  take 
measures  to  have  that  sentiment  carried  out. 

Some  discussion  followed  on  a  proposition  to  have  an  evening 
session,  and  a  motion  to  that  effect  passed,  but  was  subsequently 
reconsidered,  so  many  members  being  entertained  out  of  town 
that  it  was  thought  inexpedient  to  hold  evening  sessions. 

At  six  o'clock  the  Council  adjourned,  after  singing  the  Dox- 
ology  in  long  meter. 

SEVENTH  DAY,  WEDNESDAY,  JUNE  21. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order  at  nine  o'clock,  and  prayer 
offered  by  assistant  moderator  Hammond.  The  minutes  were 
read  and  approved. 


302  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING. 

Oil  motion  of  Hon.  Linus  Child,  of  Boston,  the  resolu- 
tion adopted  yesterday,  authorizing  a  committee  to  proceed  to 
Washington,  to  present  to  the  President  the  resolutions  on  the 
state  of  the  country,  was  reconsidered,  for  the  purpose  of 
amendment. 

Mr.  Child  then  moved  to  amend  by  substituting,  that  the  res- 
olutions, attested  by  the  officers  of  the  Convention,  be  trans- 
mitted to  the  President  of  the  United  States  by  the  moderator 
of  this  Council. 

The  amendment  was  adopted  and  the  resolution  passed. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  in  behalf  of  the  business  committee,  pre- 
sented the  order  of  business  of  the  day  recommending,  — 

That  the  discussion  be  continued  on  the  subject  before  the  Council 
yesterday  afternoon  until  quarter  before  eleven  o'clock,  and  that  the  vote 
be  then  taken;  and  that  each  speaker  be  limited  to  twelve  minutes.  The 
committee  also  recommended,  that  at  the  close  of  the  devotional  exer- 
cises, the  first  business  be  the  report  of  the  committee  appointed  to  pre- 
pare a  response  to  the  forei^  delegations,  to  be  followed  by  the  report 
on  the  letter  from  Italy,  and  the  report  of  the  committee  to  whom  was 
referred  the  paper  on  the  Declaration  of  Faith.    • 

Rev.  Mr.  Adams,  of  New  Hampshire,  moved  to  amend  by 
inserting  eight  minutes,  instead  of  twelve,  and  the  amendment 
was  carried. 

A  motion  was  made  to  amend  by  substituting  quarter  after 
ten,  instead  of  quarter  before  eleven,  but  the  motion  was  lost, 
and  the  report  adopted. 

EVAKGELl'ZATION  AND  CHTJECH  BUILDING. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bijrii,  of  Connecticut  I  think,  sir,  that  we  may  safely  ven- 
ture to  assume  that  the  gentlemen  of  this  Council  possess  a  competent 
knowledge  of  the  religious  condition  of  the  South  and  West  We  fully 
recognize  the  importance  of  that  work,  and  the  need  of  promptly  plant- 
ing in  all  those  regions  religious  institutions  of  the  right  sort.  But  how? 
—  that  is  the  point  to  be  considered.  Will  the  building  of  a  Congrega- 
tional House  in  the  city  of  Boston  do  very  much  toward  that  end?  Will 
the  building  of  a  showy  Congregational  church  in  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton help  this  matter  very  much?  Will  it  be  well,  sir,  to  open  the  doors 
of  the  Christian  ministry  to  an  untrained  crowd  of  Christian  laborers,  to 
meet  the  demands  of  the  South  and  West?  Allow  me  to  say,  that  I 
think  this  is  not  the  wisest  plan.  No  one  shall  exceed  me  in  the  desire 
to  have  lay  labor  in  the  church,  and  in  the  service  of  God.    I  should  be 


EVANGELIZATION — CHURCH   BUILDING.  303 

• 

very  glad  to  have  our  Christian  laymen,  by  thousands  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands, go  every  where,  teaching  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  telling  the 
story  of  Jesus,  establishing  Sabbath  schools,  establishing  prayer-meet- 
ings, and  reading  excellent  sermons,  under  the  title  and  with  the  distinc- 
tion and  standing  of  "  Bible  readers,"  or  "  lay  evangelists."  I  should  be 
exceedingly  glad  to  see  this,  and,  if  it  were  necessary,  I  woidd  invoke  a 
persecution,  to  scatter  our  Christian  laymen  abroad  on  this  Christian 
business,  as  it  scattered  the  primitive  laymen.  Oh,  yes,- sir,  I  am  in  favor 
of  multiplying  the  Christian  force  in  the  service  of  Christ  by  the  whole 
multiplication  table.  At  the  same  time,  I  must  confess  I  am  not  in  favor 
of  admitting  to  the  full  standing  and  status  of  the  Christian  ministry  an 
untrained  throng  of  even  good  men.  Sir,  "  with  a  great  price  have  we 
obtained  this  freedom; "  and  if  there  are  any  persons  who  are  put  upon 
us  as  free  born  by  the  dispensation  of  Providence, —  men  who  are  born  at 
the  point  which  we  have  reached  only  by  patient  study  and  culture,— why, 
sir,  we  will  take  them  by  the  hand,  as  we  would  take  the  hand  of  Mr. 
Spurgeon,  or  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  introduce  them  into  the  gospel  min- 
istry. But,  sir,  it  seems  to  me  it  would  lower  the  standard  and  the  stand- 
ing and  the  influence  of  the  sacred  profession  immeasurably  to  introduce 
this  class  of  men,  in  the  manner  proposed,  into  the  ministry. 

Rev.  Dr.  Button,  of  Connecticut  WiiQ  my  brother  allow  me  to 
internipt  him  one  moment  He  loses  sight  of  one  phrase  in  the  report 
It  authorizes  the  licensing  of  laymen  "  by  the  proper  evangelical  bodies 
with  such  conditions  as  they  may  deem  best" 

Rev.  Mr.  Burr.  But  I  am  not  sure  that  it  would  be  wise  even  to  send 
abroad  a  class  of  non-ministerial  laymen,  to  be  supported,  even  in  a 
modest  way,  by  a  board  established  for  this  purpose.  I  confess  that 
yesterday  I  had  a  diflerent  view  of  the  case,  and  I  was  prepared  to  say 
I  would  do  all  I  possibly  could  for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  body  of 
lay  evangelists  to  go  forth;  but  on  mature  reflection,  it  seems  to  me  it  is 
inexpe<lient  I  am  persuaded  that  we  have  agencies  enough.  God  bless 
the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  which  has  done  so  much  for  the 
West  I  God  bless  the  American  Missionary  Association,  which  is  able  to 
do  80  much  for  the  South  I  Sir,  if  we  place  $750,000  in  the  hands  of 
these  organizations,  to  spend  on  the  platform  of  Christianity,  and  are 
prepared  to  do  our  work,  it  strikes  me  we  shall  do  more  and  do  it  faster 
for  the  cause  of  evangelization  in  the  South  and  West,  than  can  be  done 
by  any  new  scheme  that  may  be  proposed. 

Rev.  Mr.  Atkinson,  of  Oregon.  Mr.  Moderator^  fathers^  and  breth- 
ren^ —  I  have  not  occupied  your  time  one  moment  since  I  came  into  this 
Council.  I  am  sorry  that  I  am  here  alone  from  Oregon,  but  you  sent  me 
out  alone,  in  1847,  when  we  had  Oregon .  only  on  the  Pacific,  —  then  a 
territory  containing  300,000  square  miles.  We  had  no  California,  or  Ne- 
vada then.  Oregon  has  now  100,000  square  miles  only,  because  you  have 
taken  off"  three  territories  from  it,  that  are  to  be  three  States,  —  Wash- 
ington, Idaho,  and  Montana;  but  I  may  claim,  perhaps,  properly,  to  rep- 
resent what  was  originally  Oregon.  The  present  Oregon  will  still  be 
divided,  leaving  about  30,000  square  miles  in  the  WiUamette  valley,  and 


304  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    nUTIJ)INO. 

another  State  between  that  and  Idaho,  a  mining  region;  bo  that  I  may 
say,  in  brief,  we  shall  have  five  States  in  the  area  originally  called  Ore- 
gon;—  an  important  fact,  politically,  certainly;  when  it  is  felt  in  the 
senate,  it  will  be  felt  as  an  important  fact  in  the  councils  of  the  nation. 
But,  sir,  the  time  which  you  give  us  does  not  allow  me  to  touch  upon 
but  one  point  I  must  leave  the  agricultural  capabilities  of  the  Willa- 
mette Valley,  where  we  have  a  few  churches,  and  a  college  started;  I 
must  leave  the  great  lumber  and  coast  region  of  Wasliington  Territory, 
west  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  from  which  your  Maine  lumbermen  are 
carrying  timber  all  over  the  Pacific,  —  to  California,  the  Hawaiian.  Islands, 
the  Society  Islands,  the  whole  Polynesian  group,  —  and  supplying  even 
Calcutta,  and  sending  their  spars  to  England, and  France,  —  a  region  des- 
tined to  become  the  great  lumber  field  of  the  whole  world;  I  must  leave 
all  that  region,  —  where  we  have  not  a  Congregational  church  or  min- 
ister and  only  one  in  Washington  Territory,  and  he  but  three  miles 
north  of  the  Oregon  line,  —  I  must  leave  all  that  region,  and  speak 
briefly  of  one  simple  interest  which  I  have  felt  to  be  a  growing  interest, 
and  one  marking  a  feature  in  God's  present  dealings  with  us  as  a  nation. 
I  refer  to  the  mining  interest  That  came  upon  us  suddenly,  and  we  of  the 
West  felt  it  more  than  you  did.  I  was  then  preaching  in  a  little  church 
in  Oregon  city;*  a  great  room  was  filled  night  after  night,  and  Sabbath 
after  Sabbath,  when  news  came,  "  There  is  gold  in  California."  Some  of 
us  tried  to  discredit  it  It  was  repeated,  —  "  There  is  gold  in  California, 
that  you  can  pick  up  by  the  handful."  Our  men  started,  and  they  left 
me  with  only  women  and  children  to  preach  to.  It  was  said,  "  You 
can't  get  to  California  except  by  sea."  These  men,  who  had  crossed  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  said,  "  We  will  go  to  California."  The  Fur  Company's 
men  said,  —  "  You  can  never  get  there;  there  is  only  a  track;  "  but  they 
said,  "  We  will  go."  They  loaded  what  provisions  they  had  upon  their 
wagons,  and  they  rolled  down  the  mountains,  and  reached  Sacramento, 
traveling  seven  hundred  miles,  where  never  a  wagon  had  gone  before. 
And  they  came  back,  and  said,  "  There  is  gold  in  California,"  and  others 
started.  I  attempted  to  stop  some  of  my  church  with  the  text,  "  He 
that  maketh  haste  to  be  rich  shall  not  be  innocent; "  but  the  text  was  not 
sufficient  to  check  them;  they  went  over  it;  and  for  seventeen  years,  we 
have  had  an  excitement  that  has  taken  the  church  members  and  all 
classes  of  men,  and  left  us  the  women  and  a  few  men,  who  could  not  go 
very  well,  to  sustain  our  church  operations.  I  was  almost  necessarily 
obliged  to  examine  this  question,  and  ask  myself,  **  What  does  God,  in 
his  providence,  mean,  by  sending  us  out  here  to  form  churches,  and 
then  taking  away  our  followers?" — and,  sir,  I  have  learned  this  lesson, 
that  God  had  a  mighty  magnet  in  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  Blue  Moun- 
tain regions,  and  I  have  learned  that  our  people  have  just  as  much  right 
to  go  mining  as  your  Cape_Cod  fishermen  have  to  go  fishing.  What 
has  been  the  result?  They  have  discovered,  not  only  the  mines  of  Cali- 
fornia, but  the  silver  mines  of  Nevada,  and  they  have  made  a  noble  State 
within  the  last  five  years,  —  the  first  to  adopt  the  amendment  to  the  con- 
stitution.   [Applause.]    We  are  loyal  upon  the  Pacific.    I  would  not 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  305 

forget  that;  and  you  have  helped  us  some.  We  had  slavery  in  Oregon, 
but  your  home  missionaries  stood  up  for  the  "  higher  law,"  for  freedom 
and  liberty,  and  their  influence  has  been  felt,  and  we  are  loyal  there  as 
yet. 

Well,  sir,  those  men,  tempted  by  the  riches  of  California,  have  not  only 
discovered  mines  in  that  State,  but  thence  annually  raid,  so  to  speak,  into 
the  mountain  regions  of  Oregon,  —  those  barren,  God-forsaken  regions, 
which,  apparently,  had  no  compensation  in  them  for  their  discoverers,  — 
and  they  have  discovered  mines  over  a  range  five  hundred  miles  in  length 
and  four  hundred  and  fifty  in  width.  These  mining  spots  are  developing 
gold  and  silver  in  large  quantities.  I  was  told,  by  an  agent  of  Wells,  Fargo, 
&  Go's  Express,  that  we  are  now  sending,  two  millions  a  month  of  the 
precious  metal  from  Oregon;  and  those  men  who  have  lately  discovered 
silver  mines  north  of  Nevada  are  now  investing  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  dollars  in  stamp  mills,  without  the  least  fear.  I  have  conversed  with 
men  who  are  rieady  to  invest  all  their  property  in  stamp  mills,  for  the 
development  of  the  silver  and  gold  in  these  mines. 

Now,  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  immense  mining  magnet?  It  means 
that  God  intends  to  draw  population  there.  He  has  made  a  California, 
a  Nevada,  and  an  Oregon  there;  he  is  making  an  Idaho  and  two  other 
States  there.  What  is  this  population?  It  is  heterogeneous.  It  comes 
from  all  the  States  of  the  Union;  and,  lest  I  forget  it,  let  me  say,  it 
comes  now  very  largely  from  the  South.  [At  this  i)oint,  the  rule  limiting 
speakers  to  eight  minutes  was  suspended,  and  Mr.  Atkinson  was  allowed 
twelve  minutes,  in  order  that  Western  missionaries  might  be  put  upon  a 
par  with  their  Eastern  brethren.]  We  have  in  Oregon,  people  from  Mis- 
souri, Arkansas,  and  the  extreme  pioneering  regions  of  the  West.  It 
was  hard  work  to  labor  among  them,  —  it  is  yet,  though  they  know  now, 
as  they  did  nol  when  I  first  went  there,  what  a  Congregationalist  is.  We 
are  drawing  somewhat  largely  from  the  North  now,  but  more  largely, 
as  I  have  said,  from  the  South.  After  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  in  which 
Price  was  defeated,  the  men  who  could  get  away  from  the  Southern 
army,  went  over  to  Oregon  and  Idaho,  and  they  changed  the  delegate  of 
Idaho  last  fall,  and  came  very  near  changing  the  electoral  vote  of  Oregon. 
The  brother  from  Missouri  told  us  that  the  central  counties  of  that  State 
are  to  be  depopulated.  He  did  not  tell  us  where  the  people  are  going, 
but  he  knew,  and  I  know,  where  they  are  going.  They  are  going  to 
Idaho  and  Oregon.  You  have  the  whole  North  to  take  care  of  the 
South;  you  send  the  whole  South  out  to  Idaho  and  Oregon,  and  you  send 
half  a  dozen  men  to  take  care  of  them.  Not  even  thatl  I  came  here 
for  six  men,  and  I  fear  I  shall  not  get  one  to  go  to  that  coast.  We  have 
also  au  enterprising  population.  It  takes  an  enterprising  man  to  start  with 
his  family  and  cross  two  thousand  miles  beyond  the  outposts  of  which 
Dr.  Post  spoke  so  well  yesterday;  and  it  takes  enterprising  men  to  open 
new  countries  so  distant  from  any  bulwark  of  strength  to  fall  back  upon. 
They  are  enterprising  men;  they  are  noble  men,  in  many  respects;  they 
are  liberal  men.  They  are  earnest  men  —  those  miners;  they  are  men  in 
an  imsettled  condition,  to  a  certain  extent,  but  if  you  will  only  give  them 

20 


306  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING. 

a  8tand-i)oint  around  which  they  can  cluster,  give  them  any  kind  of  or- 
ganized institution  which  commends  itself  to  their  common  sense  and 
Christian  convictions,  and  they  will  gather  around  it  with  characteristic 
energy  and  zeal. 

Now  (as  I  must  be  very  brief),  what  we  want  in  this  mining  district 
between  the  Cascades  and  the  Rocky  Moimtains  is  a  few  men  to  go  in 
there  and  be  sustained,  and  we  want  church  buildings.  We  will  do  our 
part  We  want  men  to  go  to  Ruby  city,  and  Carson  city,  and  Le  Grand, 
and  Boise,  and  Idaho  city,  and  the  other  principal  points  in  the  mining 
regions  and  put  down  their  feet  and  say,  "  Here  is  a  church,  here  are 
men  who  will  help  you,  and  I  will  start  the  matter  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  you,  and  establish  a  common  school  and  a  Sunday  school,  and  get 
matters  well  organized."  That  is  what  we  want;  and  I  came  here  for 
nothing  else  but  to  say  to  you  that  God  has  put  upon  us,  who  have  been 
laboring  with  those  little  churches,  a  tremendous  burden,  and  that  we 
feel,  more  strongly  than  I  can  express  in  words,  that  we  must  have  help; 
and  to  ask  this  Congregational  Coimcil  to  feel  with  us,  that  we  must  have 
help,  and  must  have  it  now. 

Rev.  Mr.  Kedzie,  of  Michigan.  I  understand  that  when  we  get 
through  with  the  business  of  this  Council,  and  pass  a  vote  of  thanks  to 
the  good  people  of  Boston  for  their  kind  hospitality,  arid  to  the  officers 
for  the  faithful  discharge  of  their  duties,  there  is  to  be  proposed  a  vote 
of  thanks  to  the  brethren  who  have  7iot  said  any  thing.  [Laughter.]  I 
had  hoped  to  come  in  for  my  share  of  that,  but  I  shall  have  to  forfeit  it, 
because  there  is  one  point  that  ought  to  be  brought  up;  and  as  it  has  not 
been,  I  want  to  speak  to  it. 

We  have  been  perfecting  our  scheme,  lubricating  \ur  machinery,  and 
now  the  question  is,  whether  we  can  get  force  enough  into  it  to  make  it 
go  —  whether  we  can  raise  this  sum  of  8750,000.  In  order  to  stimulate 
our  friends  to  this,  we  have  been  looking  at  the  needs  and  wants  and 
greatuQgs  of  the  work.  We  have  had  brethren  from  Oregon  and  the 
South  and  all  around  the  country,  laboring  to  create  a  vacuum,  to  see  if 
we  can  not  suck  this  money  out  of  the  churches;  but  it  don't  come  in 
that  way.  It  may  help  some,  but  there  is  another  force  needful.  How 
is  it  that  during  these  last  years  of  the  war,  we  have  been  able  to  get,  for 
the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions,  millions  of  dollars?  It  is  be- 
cause there  has  been  patriotism  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  including  the 
women;  and  because  there  has  been  a  sympathy  with  our  soldiers  who 
have  gone  forth  for  the  defense  of  our  coimtry.  This  power,  this  pro- 
pulsive power  of  patriotism,  has  secured  large  sums.  It  is  not  by  creat- 
ing this  vacuum  in  front  of  us  that  we  shall  be  able  to  raise  this  amount; 
there  must  be  a  propulsive  power  of  a  higher  character  working  within 
us.  In  our  meetings  at  home,  before  we  came  here,  there  was  a  looking 
upward,  with  the  eye  of  faith,  for  a  special  and  remarkable  outpouring 
of  God's  Spirit,  and  it  is  by  the  power  of  that  Spirit,  by  the  revival  of 
His  work,  by  the  power  of  piety  in  our  hearts,  by  the  indwelling  of  God's 
Spirit  in  the  churches,  that  this  money  is  to  be  brought  out.  It  is  by  "  tne 
propulsive  power,"  as  Dx.  Chalmers  says,  "  of  a  higher  aflection."    And 


EVANGELIZATION — CHURCH   BUILDING.  307 

now,  whether  that  shall  be  the  case,  whether  an  outpouring  of  God's 
Spirit  shall  flood  this  country,  leading  all  to  feel  that  they  live  only  for . 
the  great  work  of  evangelizing  the  world,  will  depend  upon  the  spirit  of 
faith  and  the  spirit  of  prayer  in  the  churches.  Whether  there  shall  be 
that,  will  depend  upon  the  spirit  of  faith  and  the  spirit  of  prayer  in  the 
ministry.  Whether  there  shall  be  that,  will  depend  upon  the  spirit  of 
faith  and  the  spirit  of  prayer  in  this  Council.  Here,  then,  we  can  decide 
the  question  whether  that  money  shall  come.  I  know  it  is  of  Qod's  own 
sovereign  free  grace  and  mercy  that  his  Spirit  ever  comes;  but  when  it 
comes,  it  comes  by  this  preparation  of  prayer  and  faith  in  the  churches 
and  in  the  ministry.  When  that  Spirit  comes,  when  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  shall  do  for  us  what  patriotism  has  already  done  (and  it  can  do 
what  patriotism  never  has  done),  then  shall  this  work  be  accomplished, 
and  all  shall  feel  that  they  are  not  their  own,  but  that  every  thing  they 
have  belongs  to  Christ.  I  have  laid  up  during  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
years  in  the  ministry,  a  little  fortune  for  my  children.  I  have  got  three, 
and  I  have  laid  up  a  hundred  dollars  for  each  of  them ;  and  I  believe  that 
the  time  may  come  when  it  will  have  to  go  into  the  treasury  of  the  Lord. 
We  have  got  to  wake  up  to  new  conceptions  of  the  power  of  God  and 
the  claims  of  God,  and  a  new  experience  of  what  God  can  do  for  us. 
[Applause.]  The  gospel  was  meant  to  save  just  such  a  world  as  this, 
and  it  can  do  it,  and  God  has  organized  an  agency  adequate  to  do  it;  and 
when  these  ministers  shall  be  thus  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  and 
shall  show  the  churches  what  God  gives  them  money  for,  and  instruct 
them  liberally  on  that  point,  there  will  be  no  difficulty. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee.  It  is  with  no  desire  of  my  own  to 
occupy  the  attention  of  this  Council  that  I  speak  at  this  time.  I  was 
requested  to  come  here  and  bear  testimony  to  the  wants  of  the  South,  and 
I  have  come  from  Memphis  for  that  purpose.  <  I  first  began  my  missionary 
work  in  the  northern  part  of  Missouri,  as  the  exploring  agent  of  the  Amer- 
ican Home  Missionary  Society;  and  having  some  little  part  in  dping  a 
work  there,  I  was  requested  to  visit  Memphis,  by  the  same  Society.  I 
went  there,  certainly  feeling  that  there  might  be  an  open  door,  and  that 
something  might  be  done,  but  I  did  not  expect  to  stay  there.  I  found, 
however,  that,  having  driven  the  nail,  I  must  clinch  it  on  the  spot,  and  I 
therefore  remained  two  months,  and  secured  the  organization  of  a  Con- 
gregational church  almost  in  the  very  center  of  the  rebellious  territory. 
This  is  an  important  point,  and  we  have  felt  that  the  wants  of  the  South 
were  the  wants  to  be  specially  considered  by  this  Council  (not  to  the 
exclusion  of  others),  for  there  is  a  wide  and  effectual  door  open  in  that 
great  region,  and  we  want  to  know  what  is  to  be  done. 

We  have,  at  the  outset,  met  with  opposition,  — just  as  we  expected,  — 
because  we  are  Congregationalists.  One  man  intruded  himself  upon  the 
platform  after  I  had  preached  a  sermon  to  a  large  audience  on  the  subject 
of  Christian  Union,  and  commenced  his  remarks  by  saying  that  he 
endorsed  every  word  I  had  uttered,  and  then  said,  "  After  all,  what  is  a 
Congregational  church?  Why  Universalists,  and  Unitarians,  and  Spir- 
itualists, and  Come-outers,  and  every  other  form  of  ism  is  Congregation* 


808  EVANGELIZATION CHURCH    BUILDING. 

alism."  These  are  the  things  we  have  had  brought  up  to  oppose  us  at 
the  outset;  but  these  things  did  not  avail.  We  have  organized  a  church 
numbering  forty  members;  we  have  a  congregation  of  fi*om  one  hundred 
and  fifty  to  three  hundred;  we  have  a  Sabbath  school  of  one  hundred 
members;  and  we  raised  last  year  for  the  support  of  the  church  and  inci- 
dental purposes,  82500.  They  have  delegated  me  to  represent  them  here, 
and  to  secure,  if  possible,  the  means  for  erecting  a  church.  We  purpose 
to  be  very  modest  in  our  request.  We  do  not  aslc  for  any  1^100,000  or 
850,000,  but  we  want  a  few  thousand  dollars  to  give  us  a  start.  In  other 
words,  we  do  not  ask  you  to  do  our  w^ork,  but  simply  to  give  us  a  lift 
We  have  been  self-sustaining  so  far.  We  have  had  no  help  from  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society.  Land  is  very  high  in  Memphis. 
We  shall  have  to  pay  810,000  for  a  building  lot.  It  is  the  great  central 
point  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi;  it  is  a  place  to  be  occupied  as  the 
base  of  operations,  —  as  the  secretary  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society 
wrote  me  again  and  again,  —  and  we  are  entering  upon  that  work.  Not 
only  have  we  organized  a  Congregational  church  there,  but  measures 
have  been  taken  to  secure  preaching  to  the  colored  people.  We  have 
also  secured  the  appointment  of  a  district  secretary  of  the  American 
Tract  Society;  we  are  planning  a  religious  depository,  and  endeavoring 
to  secure  there  various  agencies,  so  that  we  may  be  an  effective  base  for 
that  whole  region. 

Society  in  the  South  is  in  a  perfectly  chaotic  state:  lay  that  down  as 
aii  axiom.  Where  our  soldiers  have  gone  in  and  occupied  the  field, 
Northern  men  go  in  and  occupy  the  ground.  They  already  control  two- 
thirds  of  the  business  of  Memphis,  and  some  of  the  merchants  are 
extending  branches  into  the  country.  The  old  slave-holders  in  the  coun- 
try will  tell  you,  "  You  can  not  raise  cotton,  you  can  not  raise  produce, 
with  free  labor."  One  old  sl[\ve-holder  told  me,  "  You  can't  raise  cotton 
enough  with  free  labor  to  make  night-caps  for  the  old  women."  That 
idea  fills  the  minds  of  these  people,  and  they  feel  there  is  nothing  for 
them  to  do.  Property  is  changing  hands;  the  great  plantations  are  to 
be  cut  up  into  farms,  and  then  what  is  to  become  of  the  old  settlers? 
Why,  sir,  they  are  all  moving  like  a  great  tidal  wave,  across  Missouri, 
into  Idaho,  Colorado,  and  Nevada,  and  that  whole  Western  region;  and,  as 
one  gentleman  recently  from  Matamoras  told  me,  there  is  a  steady  stream 
setting  forward  into  Mexico.  The  tide  of  events  leads  them  to  move 
away,  to  change  their  old  associations.  They  feel,  now  that  the  rebellion 
is  cast  down,  that  they  must  go  about  in  that  community  and  in  the  nation 
with  the  curse  of  Cain  upon  their  brows.  We  are  to  go  in  and  occupy 
the  great  central  points.  They  must  be  occupied  immediately  and  effect- 
ively, and  we  ask  your  sympathy,  your  prayers,  and  your  pecuniary 
assistance ;  for  we  can  not  enter  that  great  field  and  occupy  those  large 
cities  without  much  pecuniary  assistance. 

Let  me  say  now  one  word  in  regard  to  the  colored  jieoplo.  They  are 
in  a  most  interesting  condition.  A  great  many  evil  reports  are  started 
with  regard  to  mutinies.  It  was  said  there  was  a  great  mutiny  in  Fort 
Pickering.    I  inquired  of  the  commandant,  and  he  told  me  that  there 


EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING.  309 

was  not  the  shadow  of  any  thing  of  the  kind.  Yet  that  story  went 
through  all  the  Northern  papers,  with  the  design  of  prejudicing  your 
minds.  Beware  of  these  stories.  The  wonder  is,  that  these  blacks  have  be- 
haved so  well  as  they  have.  [Applause.]  The  wonder  is,  that,  after  all  the 
provocations  they  have  received  from  their  old  masters,  who  have  marked 
their  backs  with  stripes,  and  sold  their  children  before  their  eyes,  —  the 
wonder  is,  that  they  can  keep  their  hands  off  of  them.  But  we  bless 
God  that  they  have  been  so  forbearing,  and  now  we  must  beware  of 
prejudice  against  them.  Do  not  listen  to  the  evil  reports  that  come  to 
you,  for  very  few  of  them  have  any  foundation.  The  schools  for  colored 
children  are  flourishing.  There  are  already  two  thousand  scholars  in  the 
cojored  schools  of  Memphis.  We  have  already  a  high-school  established 
among  the  colored  people.  We  want  an  academy,  a  theological  semi- 
nary, and  a  college  established  there,  to  train  these  high-school  scholars 
for  preachers  and  teachers  of  the  gospel,  to  four  millions  of  colored  peo- 
ple. This  is  a  work  of  great  interest,  and  it  must  be  done.  While  the 
demands  are  great  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  here  is  the  whole  South- 
ern region,  with  four  millions  of  people  in  darkness  and  ignorance  to  be 
lifted  up  and  enlightened  and  blessed  by  the  gospel  and  the  free  institu- 
tions of  the  Xorth. 

And  here  let  me  say  one  word  in  regard  to  our  own  church  order. 
We  need  in  the  South  the  breaking  of  the  manacles  on  pulpit  and  press 
and  speech  and  free  institutions  generally,  just  as  much  as  the  slave 
needed  to  have  his  manacles  broken.  Tins  is  as  simple  as  an  axiom. 
You  find  that  the  curse  of  slavery  has  worked  everywhere,  and  poisoned 
every  drop  of  blood  in  the  social  system.  Every  single  church  in  Mem- 
phis was  swept  overboard  by  the  tide  of  treason;  and  what  was  true 
there  was  true  in  most  of  the  Southern  cities.  Now,  we  must  plant 
there  the  institutions  of  New  England,  and  among  them,  our  own  liberty- 
breathing  and  liberty-loving  Congregationalism.  I  believe,  under  God, 
it  is  to  this  church  order,  so  free,  so  liberty-loving,  so  careful  of  the  rights 
of  the  churches,  that  New  England  owes  her  first  and  chiefest  superiority 
among  the  States  of  this  nation. 

Rev.  Mr.  Guernsey,  of  Iowa.  That  report  says  that  our  chief  want, 
after  all,  is  not  money;  and  I  think  there  is  more  truth  in  that  statement 
than  some  of  the  brethren  have  seemed  to  admit.  We  want  men^  too, 
who  will  be  willing  to  undertake  a  work  that  no  amount  of  money  would 
ever  persuade  any  man  to  undertake.  Since  I  have  been  here  some 
brother  said  in  this  Council  or  elsewhere,  speaking  of  a  particular  field, 
'*  We  don't  want  any  six-hundred-dollar  men  for  that  place."  Sir,  we  have 
scores  of  men  on  our  prairies,  whom  we  would  not  exchange  for  your  two- 
thousand-dollar  men  [Applause],  who  are  living  on  salaries  of  four,  ^ve 
and  six  hundred  dollars.  If  they  are  six-hundred-dollar  men,  it  is  not 
certainly  on  the  ground  of  the  measure  of  influence  they  have  exerted  in 
behalf  of  Christ  and  in  behalf  of  the  country.  If  they  are  six-hundred- 
dollar  men,  it  is  not  on  the  ground  that  they  could  not  command  in  their 
prol'cjri.sion  a  higher  compensation  than  that  They  occupy  the  fields  in 
which  God  has  placed  them,  because  it  seems  to  them  that  the  preaching 


810  EVANGELIZATION  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

of  the  gospel  is  needed  there,  and  that  it  is  their  duty,  in  response  to 
God's  call,  to  preach  it  with  such  compensation  as  the  church  shall  give. 
In  the  State  of  Iowa,  which,  as  brother  Bliss  said  to  me  a  few  moments 
ago,  is  an  old  field,  —  it  is  almost  twenty-Jive  years  old,  and  we  have  one 
hundred  and  sixty  churches,  —  in  the  State  of  Iowa,  there  is  territory 
larger  than  the  whole  State  of  Massachusetts  put  together,  lying  in  a 
body  without  a  single  Congregational  church  and  without  a  single  Con- 
gregational minister  engaged  in  the  work  of  preaching;  and  there  are 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  counties  in  which  there  is  scarcely  any  preaching 
at  all.  Send  us  your  six-hundred-dollar  men,  if  you  have  them,  and  we  in 
Iowa  will  make  two-thousand-dollar  men  of  them  in  a  little  while.  [Ap- 
plause.] In  Iowa,  in  any  new  country,  where  things  grow  by  the  jump, 
men  grow  in  the  same  way. 

I  have  had  application,  since  I  have  been  at  this  Council,  from  a  dozen 
brethren,  perhaps,  for  opportunities  to  labor  in  Iowa,  but  they  want  just 
such  fields  of  labor  as  are  supplied,  or  as  we  could  supply  every  day  in 
the  year,  while  we  have  scores  of  fields  for  which  no  application  comes. 
Send  us  your  men.  A  year  ago,  a  good  brother  in  Massachusetts,  a 
classmate  of  mine,  —  and  a  noble  fellow  Jie  is,  too,  —  wrote  me  that  he 
wanted  to  come  to  Iowa.  But  what  sort  of  a  parish  do  you  suppose  he 
asked  for?  He  wanted,  first,  a  village  of  some  two  or  three  thousand  in- 
habitants; and  we  have  plenty  of  them  where  the  gospel  is  needed;  he 
wanted  an  academy;  he  wanted  a  meeting-house;  he  wanted  as  good 
society  as  he  should  leave  behind  him  in  jSTew  England.  Those  are  all 
very  pleasant  things,  and  no  man  is  to  blame  for  asking  for  them;  but 
he  might  as  well  have  asked  me  to  lo<?ate  him  in  Paradise  as  to  make 
such  a  proposition  in  relation  to  my  field.  [Laughter.]  That  portion 
of  this  report  which  refers  to  the  employment  of  lay  talent  in  preaching, 
seems  to  me  to  present  the  only  prospect  for  any  thing  Hke  an  adequate 
supply  of  laborers  in  our  field.  We  want  to  take  such  men  as  we  have 
in  our  churches,  —  and  there  are  not  a  few  of  them,  —  lawyers  and  phy- 
sicians, and  give  them  the  sanction  of  Associational  approbation,  and  send 
them  out  to  preach  the  gospel  (even  while  they  continue  in  their  secular 
business),  in  the  destitute  neighborhoods  that  lie  in  the  regions  of  coun- 
try, ten,  fifteen,  twenty,  or  fifty  miles  between  our  several  churches.  "We 
want  such  men;  and  if  now  and  then  we  find  one  amoog  them  who 
proves  to  be  skillful  in  the  work,  and  shows  by  his  eflSciency  in  it,  and 
by  the  education  he  gets  in  it,  —  and  that  is  the  best  sort  of  education  we 
have,  in  some  respects,  —  that  he  is  adapted  to  make  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel  his  life-work,  then  we  will  ordain  him,  in  accordance  with  the 
recommendation  of  this  report.  And  that  is  no  new  thing  with  us.  We 
have  done  it  over  and  over  and  over  again;  and  we  have  from  one  to 
two  thousand  men  of  that  stamp  at  work  in  Iowa,  and  all  we  ask  of  you 
is,  that  you  will  let  them  work  on,  with  their  salaries  of  four,  five,  or  six 
hundred  dollars,  and  not  tempt  them  away,  as  has  s6metimes  been  the 
case  with  your  oflTers  of  two  thousand  dollars. 

One  thing  more.  I  believe  in  the  importance  of  the  Southern  work. 
I  believe  that  all  the  impression  that  brother  Bliss  and  others  who  have 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDINQ.  311 

fipoken  here  can  make  will  be  all  too  small  in  behalf  of  it.  But  I  believe, 
also,  that  the  only  way  to  carry  on  that  work  to  a  final  and  successful 
consummation  is  to  take  care  of  that  great  field  through  which  the  influ- 
ences are  to  pass  which  are  to  reach  and  mold  the  South  in  the  future. 
Something  has  been  accredited  to  us  in  the  work  of  subjugating  the 
South  in  connection  with  the  rebellion;  and  that  has  been  largely  due, 
as  has  been  already  said,  to  the  influences  of  our  Home  Missionary 
Society.  Now,  take  care  of  that  field,  and  we  will  roll  a  tide  of  moral 
power  into  the  South,  in  years  to  come,  that  shall  be  as  resistless  as  were 
the  hosta  that  marched  under  the  command  of  Grant  and  Sherman.  [Ap- 
pljiuse.]  We  have  there  one  college  planted  by  Home  Missionary  efforts, 
and  in  that  college  we  have  already  trained  teachers  who  are  at  work  in 
the  South,  and  we  will  gladly  train  more  of  them,  —  all  we  can  raise  up 
on  that  ground,  and  all  you  will  send  us;  and  we  will  train  the  black 
teachers,  if  brother  Bliss  will  give  them  to  us,  for  their  work.  While, 
then,  we  seize  these  important  points  at  the  South,  and  press  the  work 
there  as  rapidly  as  possible,  let  us  have  the  men  for  our  work  at  the 
West,  and  let  us  prosecute  that  as  a  part  of  the  work  of  the  South — for 
a  part  of  the  work  of  the  South  it  is. 

The  Moderator.  I  propose  to  make  a  very  short  speech,  which  is 
all  ready  to  my  hands,  and  which  I  think  will  be  acceptable  to  the  audi- 
ence:— 

The  Moderator  then  read  a  note  from  a  friend  of  Southern 
Evangelization,  expressing  his  interest  in  the  cause,  —  signed 
A  Friend  of  Liberty."  ^    The  Moderator  proceeded  :  — 


(( 


Accompanying  this  note  is  a  bond  of  the  city  of  Boston  for  81000. 
[Loud  applause.]  I  beg  leave  to  say  to  other  gentlemen,  similarly  situ- 
ated, that  in  spite  of  orders  of  the  day,  or  any  motion  to  adjourn,  the 
moderator  will  entertain  such  motions.    [Laughter.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Crawford,  of  Colorado.  (The  rule  was  suspended  to  allow 
Mr.  Crawford  to  speak  twelve  minutes.)  Coming  as  I  do  a  distance  of 
two  thousand  miles,  —  seven  hundred  of  it  by  coach,  —  to  attend  this 
Council,  I  feel  as  though  I  might  presume  upon  your  attention  for  a  few 
moments.  Coming  at  an  expense  of  8500,  more  than  half  of  which  I 
expect  to  pay  from  my  own  private  purse,  I  feel  as  though  I  would  like 
to  get,  partially,  at  least,  the  worth  of  my  money. 

A  day  or  two  since,  the  question  was  put  to  me,  "  How  far  do  you  live 
from  Nowhere  ?  "  [Laughter.]  I  replied,  that  my  home  was  in  Central 
City,  seven  hundred  miles  west  of  Atchison,  forty  miles  west  of  Denver, 
one  hundred  miles  north  of  Pike's  Peak,  six  hundred  miles  east  of  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  eight  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  [Laugh- 
ter.] Standing  on  this  watch-tower,  and  looking  abroad  over  the  moun- 
tains, I  will  tell  you  what  I  behold.  In  the  first  place,  looking  west,  I 
see  the  new  State  of  Nevada.    I  see  there  Virginia  City,  containing  a  pop- 

1  Neither  the  note,  nor  a  copy  of  it,  appears  in  the  phonographic  report,  nor  in  the 
official  record  of  the  secretaries.  Inquiries  in  yarious  directions  have  proyed  unavailing, 
and  it  is  necessarilj  omitted. 


812  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH    BUILDING. 

nlation  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  thousand,  and  Rees'  River  Mines  containing 
as  large  a  population;  and  we  have  no  Congregational  minister  in  that 
State.  Looking  at  Montana,  north  of  Colorado,  I  see  there  an  immense 
population,  and  one  city,  Virginia  City,  again,  containing  a  popula- 
tion of  from  six  to  ten  thousand.  I  know  we  have  many  New  England 
brethren  among  the  Congregational  people  there.  I  know  that  among 
them  are  the  families  of  the  governor  and  attorney-general  of  the  ter- 
ritory. I  have  heard  of  two  ministers  in  that  great  city;  one  a  Baptist 
minister,  who  is  clerk  of  the  court,  and  cook  of  a  boarding-club,  and 
the  other  a  Methodist  minister,  who,  I  believe,  attends  more  strictly  to 
the  Lord's  business.  Kow,  we  want  Congregational  ministers  at  once  in 
that  territory.  Looking  west  again,  I  see  the  State  of  Utah,  and  I  have 
been  interested  of  late  to  know  that  we  have  now,  in  the  very  metropolis 
of  Mormondom,  a  Congregational  church  of  eighteen  members.  [Ap- 
plause.] When  Dr.  Kendall,  secretary  of  the  New  School  Presbyterian 
Board  made  his  overland  tour,  last  summer,  he  made  a  visit  to  Brigham 
Yoimg,  at  Salt  Lake  City,  and  put  to  him  this  question,  —  "Have  you 
any  objection  to  my  sending  a  missionary  to  the  Gentile  population  of 
this  city  V "  for  the  Gentile  population^  there  now  nimibers  from  six 
hundred  to  one  thousand  people.  He  said,  "  Kone  at  all ;  and  you  may 
send  missionaries  among  the  Mormons,  if  you  like."  President  Blan- 
chard  (of  Wheaton  College)  said  there  should  be  a  minister  there  at  once, 
and,  coming  to  Denver,  spoke  to  Mr.  McLeod.  With  the  enthusiasm 
of  a  western  man,  Mr.  McLeod  fired  up  at  the  prospect  of  preaching  Christ 
where  he  had  never  yet  been  heard.  I  told  him  to  go  and  God  would  be 
with  him,  and  I  would  get  another  man  to  supply  Denver.  He  went, 
and  has  organized  a  church  of  eighteen  members.  He  has  a  congrega- 
tion of  three  or  four  hundred  people,  of  whom  many  are  Mormons,  and 
has  a  Sabbath  school  of  four  hundred  and  fifty.  He  also  preaches  at 
Camp  Douglas.  The  people  have  raised  for  the  support  of  the  church 
82000  a  year.  Mr.  McLeod  wrote  to  me  that  he  desired  me  to  represent 
him  in  this  Coimcil. 

Now  let  me  come  to  Colorado.  The  first  city  which  meets  you  after 
you  have  crossed  the  plains  is  Denver,  —  a  city  covering  an  area  a  mile 
and  a  half  long  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile  wide,  regularly  laid  out 
with  large  brick  buildings,  three  or  four  stories  high,  built  with  consid- 
erable architectural  beauty,  and  which  would  do  no  discredit  to  your 
Washington  street  There  are  firms  in  Denver,  which  in  the  spring  sea- 
son will  sell  not  less  than  810,000  a  day,  day  after  day.  There  is  in  that 
city  a  Methodist  church  building  that  cost  over  820,000;  an  Old  School 
Presbyterian  church  which  cost  over  85000;  an  Episcopal  church  which 
cost  some  three  or  four  thousand  dollars;  and  the  Baptist  minister  has 
lately  raised  88000  at  the  East,  to  which  he  will  add  some  85000  there,  to 
build  a  Baptist  church;  and  we  have  a  little  Congregational  church,  with  a 
flock  of  twelve  members.  In  the  year  1859,  a  Congregational  church 
might  have  been  organized  there  of  twenty-five  members,  and  if  a  man 
could  have  been  found  to  occupy  the  field,  we  should  have  had  there  a 
large  structure,  and  a  self-supporting  church,  giving  their  money  into  the 
foi^ign  and  home  missionary  treasuries.    Dr.  Beecher  can  tell  you  the 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  313 

Btory.  There  are  men  there  to-day  who  blame  him  for  not  senduag  min- 
isters there,  when  in  truth  there  were  no  ministers  to  be  found.  I  had 
the  honor  of  founding  the  first  Congregational  church  established  on  the 
slopes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  since  then,  I  have  organized,  with 
the  help  of  others,  another  church.  My  church  numbers  twenty-nine 
members,  and  for  the  past  year  has  been  self-supporting,  raising  $2000. 
We  have  also  raised  86000  for  a  church  edifice,  which  will  cost  not  less 
than  814,000;  we  can  raise  84000  more;  and  if  I  can  raise  84000  more 
here,  the  work  is  done.  My  people  are  liberal,  but  there  are  impossibili- 
ties which  they  can  not  accomplish.  At  Boulder  City,  we  have  a  church 
of  fourteen  members,  and  they  have  been  calling  for  a  minister.  We 
want  a  minister  for  Denver,  another  for  Empire  City,  and  another  for 
Canon  City.  We  have  a  population  at  Denver  City  of  ^ve  thousand;  at 
Central  City,  within  a  circle  of  four  miles,  a  population  of  from  seven  to 
ten  thousand;  at  Boulder  City,  nearly  ten  thousand;  at  Caiion  City, 
where  there  are  large  oil  fields,  nearly  fifteen  thousand,  and  those  places 
must  be  manned. 

■ 

One  single  word  in  regard  to  ways  and  means.  One  of  the  purposes 
of  this  report  is  to  secure  men.  Kow,  there  are  many  here  who  can 
leave  their  old  fields  and  go  into  new  territory.  We  don't  want  sticks; 
we  want  men  of  ability,  devotion,  and  energy ;  and  if  there  are  any  such 
men  here  to-day  who  covet  the  opportunity  of  laying  the  foundations  of 
a  church  and  preaching  Christ  in  a  new  country,  let  them  make  applica- 
tion to  Dr.  Badger,  who  sits  here  before  me,  and  whose  crown  of  glory 
can  always  be  seen  from  every  part  of  the  house.  [Applause.]  That  is 
a  practical  suggestion. 

Another  thing.  We  want  money.  And  let  me  tell  you  that  this 
church  building  enterprise  is  the  most  desirable  on  your  list.  Brother 
Langworthy  said  US  me,  "  I  fear  our  cause  is  not  to  have  any  place  in 
the  plans  and  afiections  of  our  churches."  Let  me  say  to  you,  brethren, 
that  you  must  pay  just  as  freely  to  him  as  to  any  other  cause.  Give  us 
a  church,  and  we  can  support  it  ourselves.  You  may  keep  a  home  mis- 
sionary in  the  field  for  five  years,  at  an  expense  of  8300  a  year,  and  a 
church  will  have  to  be  built  at  the  end  of  that  time;  but  give  to  that 
field  one  or  two  thousand  dollars,  and  a  church  building  is  put  up  at 
once,  and  the  church  becomes  self-supporting  at  once.  That  is  the  more 
economical  way. 

Another  thing.  If  you  are  going  to  help  us  at  the  West,  you  must 
preach  upon  our  church  polity.  Our  Congregational  brethren  do  not 
understand  this,  and  when  they  go  to  the  West,  they  go  into  Methodist 
churches  and  Presbyterian  churches,  and  say  that  they  wouldn't  turn 
their  hand  over  for  the  difference  between  them.  Now,  if  our  principles 
are  true,  if  we  are  standing  on  the  right  ground,  if  we  have  found  the 
"  old  paths,"  let  us  stay  therein.    [Applause.] 

One  word  more  and  I  am  done.  The  question  has  often  been  asked 
me,  "  How  did  you  happen  to  start  off  to  that  distant  region?  "  I  will 
tell  you.  Two  years  ago,  I  heard  a  voice  crying, "  Whom  shall  we  send, 
or  who  will  go  for  usV  "  and  after  waiting  and  hearing  no  response,  I 


314  EVANGELIZATION CHURCH    BUILDING. 

said,  "  Here  am  I;  send  me."  I  am  not  a  pioneer  from  choice,  but  from 
necessity.  Are  there  any  other  men  who  feel  the  same  necessity  to 
preach  the  gospel  where  Christ  has  not  been  named? 

Rev.  Mr.  Gaylord,  of  Nebraska.  You  have  been  hearing  reports  of 
great  interest,  and  claims  are  pressing  upon  you  with  great  weight  from 
the  vast  territories  that  lie  stretching  off  toward  the  setting  sun;  terri- 
tories that  are  filling  up,  as  I  can  bear  testimony,  from  the  vast  stream  of 
population  that  is  flowing  annually  through  the  region  where  I  live,  with 
a  rapidity  that  challenges  the  earnest  attention  of  every  friend  of  his 
country,  and  of  the  cause  of  Christ  I  came  to  speak  to  you  of  a  ter- 
ritory that  lies  in  the  very  heart  of  this  great  country,  between  the 
States  and  these  mountain  territories,  that  are  opening  up  with  so  much 
promise,  and  with  such  demands  upon  your  attention  and  your  interest 
The  field  which  I  represent  is  the  great  valley  of  the  Missouri,  lying 
north  of  the  State  of  Kansas  and  the  State  of  Missouri.  The  Missouri 
river  runs  directly  through  the  great  heart  of  my  home  missionary  dis- 
trict; and  that  is  a  very  important  section  of  the  country,  not  for  its 
mining  resources,  but  because  it  is  the  section  from  which  the  mining 
population  are  to  draw  those  supplies  that  sustain  physical  life,  while 
they  are  engaged  in  unearthing  the  hidden  riches  of  the  mountains;  and, 
as  my  brethren  from  Iowa  and  from  Colorado  have  said,  so  I  can  reit- 
erate. Our  great  want  is  men;  men  to  occupy  the  opening  fields;  men 
to  man  our  towns  and  villages;  and  men  to  go  forth  with  hearts  warm 
with  the"  love  of  Christ,  and  of  souls,  to  take  our  scattered  population 
and  lead  them  to  Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of 
the  world.  On  the  whole  line  of  the  Missouri  river,  for  two  hundred 
miles  in  our  territory,  we  have  but  one  stationed  minister  at  this  present 
time.  I  occupy  the  position  of  agent  of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society.  We  have  at  Nebraska  city  the  only  Congregational  minister 
on  the  whole  line  of  the  Missouri  river  for  two  hundred  miles  on  our 
eastern  border;  and  it  is  a  region  of  country  rich  in  its  natural  resources. 
It  is  fertile,  it  is  productive,  and  is  to  be  filled  with  an  active  and  enter- 
prising population.  After  I  left  home,  I  received  a  letter  from  Sioux 
City,  in  reference  to  Yankton,  the  capital  of  Dacotah  Territory,  asking 
for  a  Congregational  minister,  and  saying  that  the  Congregational  ele- 
ment was  in  advance  of  all  others,  and  stronger,  probably,  than  all  others 
put  together;  yet  the  only  minister  they  have  is  an  Episcopalian,  with 
whom  the  people  are  not  in  sympathy.  A  few  weeks  ago,  I  was  way  up 
the  valley,  to  Platte,  eighty  miles  west  of  Omaha,  on  the  line  of  the 
great  tide  of  emigration  that  pours  over,  year  after  year,  to  the  Pacific 
coast  and  the  mountain  territories;  and  there,  at  the  central  point  of 
the  United  States,  is  an  opening  for  a  Congregational  minister,  who 
might  be  the  center  of  influence  in  the  place  if  he  were  there  to-day ;  and 
within  twelve  months,  the  cars  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  will  be 
running  from  Omaha  city  to  that  place.  In  all  probability,  it  is  destined 
to  be  the  future  capital  of  the  territory  or  State  of  Nebraska,  —  the  cen- 
ter of  a  wide  section  of  country,  that  will  be  filled  with  an  enterprising 
population. 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  315 

Thus  the  fields  are  opening  on  every  hand.  We  need  men  who  are 
willing  to  endure  hardness,  who  are  not  looking  for  fat  places,  such  as 
brother  Guernsey  described,  but  who  are  willing  to  go  out  on  the  frontier, 
who  are  willing  to  drive  the  first  stake,  and  to  preach  if  need  be,  in  a 
log  cabin,  or  a  private  room,  or  on  the  open  prairie,  and  are  willing  to 
sleep  there,  upon  a  bed  of  down  or  a  bed  of  husks,  or  if  necessary,  upon 
the  grass  itself. 

Dea.  Bryant,  of  Delaware.  Mr,  Moderator^  —  This  subject  of  Evan- 
gelization in  the  South  is  one  in  which  I  am  deeply  and  personally 
interested;  for,  if  there  is  any  part  of  our  land  that  needs  Evangelizing 
or  Unionizing,  it  is  that  part  which  I  represent.  I  come  before  you  as 
the  representative  of  the  only  Congregational  church  in  the  State  of  Del- 
aware. We  are  the  pioneers  in  the  Emigration  Enterprise^  inaugurated 
two  years  ago  by  the  Delaware  Improvement  Association,  and  which  is 
rapidly  filling  the  State  with  Northern  men  of  energy  and  enterprise. 
We  have  heard,  sir,  much  of  the  West  and  its  pressing  wants,  and  there 
seems  to  be  enough  there  to  engage  all  our  attention;  we  have  heard,  too, 
from  the  South,  —  and  a  vast  field  looms  up  before  us  in  that  direction, 
which  must  be  occupied;  and  I  can  not  allow  this  discussion  to  close  with- 
out calling  your  attention  to  my  own  State,  which  has  so  long  been  under 
the  blighting  influences  of  slavery,  that  not  only  have  the  people  become 
IGNORANT,  destitute,  and  many  of  them  rebellious,  —  but  the  very  soil 
seems  cursed  and  almost  refuses  to  yield  to  the  demands  of  the  husbandman. 
Delaware  is  in  great  need  of  and  is  worthy  to  receive  from  the  North  that 
"  Gospel  which  makes  men  free  ; "  —  the  Diamond  State  is  ripe  for  New 
England  institutions.  We  want  the  church,  with  its  sacred  ordinances, 
its  means  of  grace  and  religious  instruction;  —  we  want  the  School- 
house,  too,  as  well,  —  so  that  the  light  of  intellectual  as  well  as  moral  and 
religious  truth  may  penetrate  the  darkness,  if  it  can  not  dispel  it,  which 
envelopes  many  a  noble  mind;  and  I  ask  you  to-day,  that  in  considering 
the  wants  of  other  sections  of  our  land,  you  will  remember  that  if  Dela- 
ware has  not  been  as  faithful  in  this  great  crisis  as  she  ought  to  have 
been,  it  is  only  because  she  has  been  deprived  of  the  religious  privileges 
and  blessings  that  you  enjoy.  In  1860,  the  population  of  Delaware  was 
112,216,  of  which  90,589  were  whites,  and  21,627  were  blacks;  there  were 
at  that  time,  1798  slaves  in  the  State;  but  at  this  time,  there  are  not 
probably  100  slaves,  the  majority  having  either  been  drafted  or  enlisted 
in  the  service  of  the  country,  and  the  balance  have  run  away,  so  that  the 
State  is  practically  free.  Of  the  whole  population  of  the  State,  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  three-fourths  are  without  any  religious  instruction.  We  have 
no  Sabbath  school  organization  in  the  State  and  but  few  Sabbath  schools 
outside  of  Wilmington.  Over  500  families  from  the  North  have  moved 
into  the  State  within  three  years;  —  and  still  they  come,  —  and  by  the 
first  of  November  next,  enough  will  be  there  to  change  the  political  char- 
acter of  the  State;  —  and  our  copperhead  legislature  evidently  see  the 
"  handwriting  on  the  wall,"  which  foretells  a  grand  funeral  celebration 
(if  I  may  use  the  expression),  on  next  election  day  over  the  last  vesti^^e 
of  copperheadism  and  slavery  in  our  State. 


816  EVANGELIZATION CHURCH    BUILDING. 

TVe  are  establishing  a  Xorthern  rural  village  in  the  center  of  the  State, 
and  enough  are  already  there  to  feel  the  want  of  religious  and  educa- 
tional privileges  to  which  we  were  accustomed  in  our  Northern  homes. 
New  England,  New  York  State,  and  Pennsylvania,  are  contributing 
principally  to  our  settlement.  Although  strongly  urged  to  organize  a 
Presbyterian  church,  with  the  promise  of  assistance,  yet  we  clung  to 
the  Congregational  form  as  the  one  best  suited  to  the  wants  of  that 
growing  community;  —  and,  as  there  will  be  a  demand  in  that  section 
for  other  Congregational  churches,  we  feel  that  most  important  results, 
in  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom  in  that  South-eastern  portion 
of  our  country,  rests  upon  the  success  of  this  enterprise  in  Canterbury. 
Our  church  consists  of  twenty  members;  we  should  have  a  congrega- 
tion of  two  hundred,  if  we  had  a  house  of  worship;  but  we  are  obliged 
to  hold  religious  services  in  our  houses,  —  our  means  being  too  limited  to 
build  and  furnish  a  church.  We  have  no  pastor  at  present,  but  have  one 
in  view ;  —  and  we  think,  —  with  a  little  help  now,  —  our  church  will 
soon  be  self-sustaining.  We  want  to  build  a  neat  village  church  that  will 
seat  three  hundred  persons,  and  the  estimated  cost  of  which  complete 
will  be  §3500.  We  have  strained  every  nerve  in  the  raising  of  §800  in 
money  and  materials  among  ourselves;  the  Congregational  Union  gives 
us  §500,  and  a  friend  §200,  with  which  to  pay  last  bills;  so  that  we  have 
§800  to  begin  with, — but  we  must  raise  §2000  more  before  we  can  get 
the  §700  which  will  complete  our  building;  —  and  we  are  obliged  to 
appeal  to  our  Northern  brethren  to  lend  us  a  helping  hand.  We  come 
to  you  in  His  name  who  said  "  Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive,"  believing  that 
you  will  cheerfully  assist  us  in  planting  in  Delaware  a  branch  of  the 
true  vine, — and  promising  on  our  part  to  be  such  faithful  workers  that, 
with  the  blessing  of  God,  that  now  barren  waste  will,  in  due  time,  become 
a  fruitful  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  Oh,  that  I  could  ring  such  an  appeal  in 
the  ears  of  my  Northern  brethren,  as  would  move  their  pure  minds  and 
open  their  full  pockets.  A  gentleman  who  has  just  given  me  §50,  says  he 
will  be  one  of  twenty  to  give  §100  each,  to  make  the  amount  required. 
Can  we  not  raise  this  amount  on  the  spot,  and  let  it  be  a  part  of  the 
§750,000  which  we  are  going  to  raise?  If  obliged  to  wait  until  that 
amount  is  raised,  we  shall  starve  and  die;  but  give  me  §2000  naw^  and  I 
will  have  the  first  Congregational  church  in  Delaware,  ready  to  dedicate 
by  the  first  of  next  November. 

We  have  put  our  "shoulders  to  the  wheel;  "  Christian  brethren  of  the 
North,  will  you  not  give  us  a  lift? 

Rev.  James  Massie,  d.  d.,  ll.  d.,  of  England.  Mr,  Moderator,  —  I 
have  listened  with  deep  and  intense  interest  to  the  statements  concern- 
ing the  West  and  the  South;  and  I  would  not  have  obtruded  myself  on 
this  platform  had  I  not  felt  that  I  had  a  message  to  you  and  a  word  of 
encouragement.  I  will  not  dilate  upon  any  of  the  points,  but  endeavor 
as  briefly  as  possible  to  express  what  is  in  my  heart. 

It  has  been  my  privilege  to  spend  the  last  twelve  months  mostly  on 
behalf  of  your  freedmen,  in  the  service  of  the  Freedmen's  Association, 
formed  at  London.    I  have  traveled  between  three  and  four  thousand 


EVXNOELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  317 

miles,  and  attended  more  than  thirty  meetings,  in  company  with  an 
American  from  Cincinnati,  —  Mr.  Levi  Coffin,  identified  with  the  under- 
ground railroad.  [Applause.]  I  have  thus  been  brought  into  connection 
with  the  Friends,  or  Quakers,  as  they  are  better  known,  throughout  Eng- 
land, Ireland,  and  Scotland,  and  have  found  their  sympathies  ready  to  be 
awakened  concerning  your  coimtry,  and  especially  the  benevolent  portion 
of  your  work  in  the  South,  if  not  also  in  the  West.  We  have  worked 
together  in  connection  with  the  Freedmen's  Association  of  London  on 
this  principle.  The  London  committee,  consisting  of  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  clergymen,  and  members  of  the  established  church, 
ministers  and  members  of  non-conformist  churches,  welcomes  and  en- 
treats the  assistance  of  all  classes  of  society  in  its  object,  and  only 
§eeks  to  give  such  aid,  physical  and  educational,  and  to  apply  such  moral 
and  religious  culture  as  shall,  under  the  divine  blessing,  enable  the  once 
down-trodden  and  degraded  slave  to  act  for  himself,  and  to  give  evidence 
of  his  capacity  for  the  blessings  of  freedom.  That  society  has  sent  off 
to  America  more  than  £4000,  —  and  sent  it  so  that  the  friends  in  America 
might  have  the  benefit  of  the  exchange.  [Applause.]  It  has  been  iden- 
tified with  a  congenial  institution  formed  among  the  Society  of  Friends, 
and  the  two  together,  with  the  society  of  the  Midland  counties,  working 
at  Birmingham,  have  sent  £25,000  in  money  and  goods,  to  your  Freed- 
men's  Associatibns.  [Applause.]  I  believe  that,  since  I  left,  as  much  as 
J65000  more  have  been  prepared  to  be  sent,  if  not  already  sent. 

I  should  like  to  read  the  principle  on  which  these  friends  operate  in 
your  behalf.  It  is  well  that  you  should  know  what  is  felt  concerning  you 
in  the  country  from  which  I  come.  Speaking  of  your  efforts  in  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  in  the  Christian  Commission,  and  in  the  Freedmen's 
Associations  throughout  the  country,  our  friends  say:  — 

"  With  all  these  efforts,  the  work  is  so  vast,  that  it  altogether  overtaxes 
their  stiength.  This  is  the  time  of  America's  need.  She  helped 
us  in  our  need.  Shall  we  not  help  her  in  hers?  We  speak 
not,  of  course,  of  her  need  in  war.  With  that  we  can  have  nothing  to  do. 
And  it  is  with  no  feelings  of  political  partisanship  that  we  now  address 
you.  But  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  freedmen  in  her  midst,  who 
need  food,  clothing,  nurture,  and  Christian  instruction,  and  who  are  the 
helpless  victims  of  circumstances  over  which  they  have  no  control,  are 
as  really  a  burden  cast  upon  her,  and  claiming  and  deserving  our  sym- 
pathy and  help,  as  the  starving  thousands  of  Ireland  and  of  Lancashire 
were  a  burden  cast  upon  us,  and  deserving  (and  obtaining  too,  be  it 
remembered,  to  a  vast  extent),  American  sympathy  and  help." 

Then  follow  some  paragraphs,  which  I  pass  over,  proving  that  there 
was  received  from  America,  more  than  £200,000,  in  money  and  goods,  to 
help  Ireland  and  Lancashire,  during  the  distress  of  those  two  periods. 
And  now  they  say:  — 

"  In  issuing  a  revised  edition  of  this  appeal,  after  the  fall  of  Richmond, 
the  surrender  of  Lee,  and  the  awful  assassination  of  President  Lincoln, 
—  at  the  eve,  we  had  trusted,  of  the  return  of  peace  to  the  United 
States,  —  we  have  felt  that,  so  far  from  damping  our  zeal,  these  events 


818  EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING. 

are  in  themselves  a  call  for  redoubled  efforts  to  meet  the  increasing  scale 
which  the  work  is  likely  to  assume. 

^^May  England  answer  to  the  call  I  May  her  ministers  and  statesmen 
especially  feel  that  the  expression  in  Parliament  of  national  sympathy 
with  America  in  her  struggle  to  remove  such  an  evil  as  slavery,  is  no  less 
a  duty  now,  than  was  the  expression  of  national  gratitude  to  America  in 
1847  for  her  generosity  to  Ireland.  It  may  be  that  various  opinions  have 
been  held  in  England  with  reference  to  the  war;  but  with  the  return  of 
peace,  every  fair  and  generous  critic  will  feel  that  the  condemnation  of 
acts  which  seemed  to  him  blameworthy,  constitutes  in  itself  an  obliga- 
tion to  recognize  those  which  he  can  not  deny  to  be  worthy  of  praise." 

I  feel  I  ought  not  to  trespass  upon  your  time  after  reading  these 
extracts;  but  I  wish  to  say,  that  I  think  it  is  in  your  power,  as  a  Council, 
to  secure  the  co-operation  of  the  Congregational  Union  of  England  and 
"Wales  in  your  missionary  enterprises  among  the  colored  people  of  this 
country.  I  know  not  what  your  response  will  be  to  the  delegation  who 
have  come  from  that  Union,  —  a  Union  of  which  I  am  a  member,  and  in 
which  I  had  the  honor  to  propose  the  appointment  of  the  delegation, 
and  the  nomination  of  one  of  the  best  of  our  men,  who  is  amongst  you; 
but  that  Congregational  Union  will  regard  the  missionary  organization 
sanctioned  by  this  Council  as  one  in  which  they  can  have  confidence.  I 
believe  the  Society  of  Friends  will  aid  you  in  your  efforts  without  refer- 
ence to  sectarianism  in  any  sense. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Moderator,  —  It  is  with  ex- 
treme reluctance  that  I  rise  in  this  assembly  at  this  time;  or  it  would  be, 
did  I  not  feel  it  to  be  an  imperative  duty.  I  regret  the  occasion,  but  will- 
ingly assume  the  responsibility,  under  the  circumstances. 

The  two  papers  which  are  before  this  body  seem  to  be  united  in  the 
debate.  They  are  the  joint-stock  property  of  this  Council,  and  I  regard 
myself  as  a  stockholder  in  it,  and  therefore  have  a  right  to  speak.  I  have 
rejoiced  in  all  the  testimony  which  has  been  given,  and  in  all  the  sympa- 
thy which  has  been  expressed,  in  relation  to  the  two  great  objects  which 
have  occupied  the  attention  of  this  house.  However  much  others  may 
feel  on  this  subject,  I  can  say  that  no  one  feels  more  than  I  do;  and  I 
have  been  exceedingly  unwilling  to  interrupt  the  strain  of  feeling  that 
has  been  so  often  expressed  and  listened  to  with  such  constant  interest 
by  this  assembly.  But,  sir,  there  is  one  clause  that  has  been  introduced 
into  the  report  of  Dr.  Dutton,  to  which  I  object,  and  against  which  I 
protest,  and  that  is,  that  we  declare  our  consent  to,  and  belief  in,  the  doc- 
trines of  our  fathers,  as  they  have  declared  them,  in  respect  of  what  may 
be  called  the  substance  of  doctrine.  There  is  one  great  doctrine  which 
is  regarded  as  fundamentally  true  by  a  considerable  portion  of  this  body, 
as  a  cardinal  doctrine,  which  is  regarded  by  another  portion  of  this  assem- 
bly, and  that  a  large  one,  as  cardinally  and  fundamentally  false, — and  that 
is  the  doctrine  of  "  original  sin,"  as  held  by  our  fathers,  and  by  those 
who  were  in  agreement  with  them  in  the  country  from  which  they  came. 
I  say,  sir,  if  you  send  forth  that  document,  with  that  declaration  in  it, 
you  send  forth  a  declaration  to  all  our  Congregational  churches,  that  is 


EVANGELIZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING.  819 

« 

not  true;  and  you  send  forth  to  all  other  denominations  of  Christians, 
you  declare  before  the  whole  world,  and  you  make  it  the  record  of  his- 
tory, to  be  read  in  all  coming  time, — a  sentiment  which  carries  a  lie  in  its 
right  hand.  This  is  a  subject  that  is  greatly  misunderstood  by  many  in 
this  body.  Though  I  would  not  assume  anything  for  myself,  I  will  say 
here  that  I  have  examined  that  subject  historically  with  great  care  and 
for  years;  that  I  have  read  much,  thought  much,  and  given  it  my  most 
deliberate  and  earnest  and  conscientious  consideration;  and  I  say, -sir, 
that  the  public  mind  in  our  churches  and  among  our  ministers  has  been 
obfuscated  upon  this  subject;  that  that  state  of  things,  sir,  has  been 
brought  about  by  those  high  in  position  as  teachers  o£. theology;  and  that, 
to  accomplish  this  end,  they  have  interpolated  the  catechism  itself,  —  they 
have  changed  its  language,  and  given  it  a  form  and  expression  that  do 
not  belong  to  it.  I  will  say,  sir,  that  on  this  subject,  I  feel  prepared  to 
meet  the  question  anywhere  and  everywhere,  and  that  I  intend  to  meet  it 
on  another  platform,  broader  than  this,  and  to  show  historically  that  that 
declaration  of  sentiment  is  false.  And,  sir,  did  not  the  brother  who  intro- 
duced it  know  that  he  has  been  contending  on  that  very  subject, — con- 
tending earnestly,  as  for  "the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints," — 
contending  that  the  Congregational  churches  in  the  land  were  divided 
extensively  on  this  subject, — that  it  was  a  controverted  point?  Who  does 
not  know  it? 

Rev.  Dr.  Boutoii,  of  New  Hampshire,  called  for  the  order  of 
the  day,  to  wit :  the  question  on  the  adoption  of  the  report  on 
Church  Building,  and,  the  vote  having  been  taken,  it  was  de- 
clared adopted. 

A  motion  was  then  made  that  the  recommendations  of  the 
report  on  "  Evangelization  in  the  South  and  West"  be  taken 
up  separately  ;  which  was  lost. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut,  moved  that  the  report  bo 
divided  into  three  parts,  and  that  the  vote  be  taken  first  on  the 
portion  preceding  the  recommendation  in  regard  to  the  employ- 
ment of  Christian  laymen  ;  next  on  that  recommendation  ;  and 
then  on  the  balance  of  the  report.  This  motion  prevailed,  and 
the  first  part  of  the  report  was  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow,  of  New  Hampshire,  moved  that  the  sen- 
tence in  regard  to  "  rail-splitters  and  tailors  "  be  stricken  out 
of  the  next  recommendation ;  and  the  motion  was  carried. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton  moved  to  strike  out  the  word  "  license,"  and 
substitute  the  word  "  approve,"  which  was  carried. 

Hon.  Mr.  Child,  of  Massachusetts.  I  wish  to  suggest  another  amend- 
ment This  is  a  very  important  matter,  I  apprehend.  Indeed,  it  is  upon 
a  subject  very  delicate;  and  I  should  prefer  that,  instead  of  seeming  to 


820  BVANOBUZATION  —  CHURCH   BUILDING. 

decide,  as  the  recommendation  now  stands,  on  the  propriety  of  approT- 
ing  and  ordaining  laymen,  it  should  be  so  altered  as  to  refer  that  question, 
—  the  question  of  its  expediency,  —  to  the  local  associations. 

Rev.  Dr.  Button,  of  Connecticut    That  is  so,  sir. 

Hon.  Mr.  Child.  I  beg  pardon  of  the  chairman  of  the  committee. 
The  report  reads,  —  "  They  also  recommend  to  the  proper  ecclesiastical 
bodies  that  they  license  for  the  needed  work,  and  if  necessary  ordain,  with 
such  conditions  as  they  deem  best.  Christian  laymen,"  &c.  The  amend- 
ment I  would  suggest  is,  "  that  this  Council  commend  to  these  local  asso- 
ciations the  consideration  of  the  expediency  of  licensing,  or  approving 
laymen  within  their  bounds."  I  fear,  sir,  tiiat  if  it  goes  out  from  this 
Council  that  that  class  of  men  — 

Rev.  Dr.  Holbrook,  of  New  York.  I  rise  to  a  question  of  order. 
Is  this  question  debatable?  If  it  is  I  have  something  to  say  on  the  other 
side. 

The  Moderator.  (Mr.  Hammond.)  Debate  is  not  in  order.  The 
question  must  be  taken  on  amendments  without  debate. 

Hon.  Mr.  Child.  I  move  to  amend  by  striking  out  the  words, "  They 
also  recommend  to  the  proper  ecclesiastical  bodies  that  they  license  for 
tlie  needed  work,  and  if  necessary  ordain,"  4fcc.,  and  inserting  in  their 
stead, "  They  also  commend  to  the  proper  ecclesiastical  bodies  the  consid- 
eration of  the  expediency  of  approving,  and,  if  necessary,  ordaining  with 
such  conditions  as  they  may  deem  best,  laymen  residing  within  their 
respective  limits." 

The  amendment  was  adopted. 

Mr.  Child  moved  further  to  amend  by  striking  out  the  words, 
"  and  the  Council  do  earnestly  invite  such  Christian  laymen  to 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord  and  enter  into  this  work."  The 
motion  was  lost. 

The  recommendation  was  then  adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Jenney,  of  Illinois.  I  move  to  amend  the  passage  which 
speaks  of  the  use  of  "  all  other  honorable  means,"  by  erasing  the  word 
'*  honorable," —  as  if  there  were  any  other  than  honorable  means  that  we 
could  use! 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut  There  are  other  means,  and  Con- 
gregationalists  sometimes  use  them. 

Rev.  Mr.  Jenney,  of  Illinois.  If  that  be  so,  let  us  not  pubUsh  it  to 
the  world. 

The  motion  to  amend  was  lost,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
report  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bouton,  of  New  Hampshire,  moved  the  adoption  of 
the  report  as  a  whole,  and  as  amended,  and  it  was  adopted. 

A  recess  of  five  minutes  was  then  taken  and  spent  in  devo- 
tional exercises. 


RESPONSE  TO   FOREIGN    DELEGATIONS.  321 

RESPONSE  TO   FOREIGN  DELEGATIONS. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  preliminary  to  reading  the  report  of  the  commit- 
tee appointed  to  prepare  a  response  to  Foreign  Delegations,  said:  I  am 
bound  to  say  that  to  one  of  the  members  of  the  committee  this  report 
has  not  been  read  since  its  preparation.  It  has  been  unanimously  ac- 
cepted and  approved  by  the  o^ers.  The  mover  of  the  resolution  to 
prepare  such  a  response  (Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher),  at  my  request  put 
into  my  hands  an  outline  of  what  he  conceived  could  best  be  said.  If 
the  report,  as  I  have  drawn  ijt  up  in  conformity  with  that  outline  is  found 
too  long,  let  him  bear  part  of  the  blame. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  then  read  the  following 

REPORT. 

This  Council  has  been  honored  with  the  presence  of  brethren  who  have 
brought  us  friendly  and  fraternal  greetings  from  various  Christian  bodies 
in  foreign  countries.  Our  neighbors  beyond  the  St.  Lawrence  have  sent 
to  us  the  Rev.  Edward  Ebbs,  the  Rev.  Henry  Wilkes,  d.  d.,  the  Rev. 
John  Wood,  the  Rev.  E.  J.  Sherrill,  the  Rev.  A.  Duff,  the  Rev.  D.  C. 
French,  and  Theodore  Lyman,  Esq.,  who  appear  as  delegates  from  the 
Congregational  Union  of  Canada.  Brother  W.  H.  Daniels  comes  to  us 
from  the  Congregational  Union  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick. 
From  the  Evangelical  churches  of  France,  a  youthful  brother,  bearing 
a  beloved  and  honored  name,  the  Rev.  Theodore  Monod,  delegated  by 
the  Union  of  those  churches,  has  stood  among  us,  and  from  his  eloquent 
lips  we  have  received  a  new  assurance  that  the  Evangelical  Protestant- 
Ism  which  in  that  great  country  was  so  long  persecuted  and  oppressed, 
is  yet  to  be  a  power  in  the  conquest  of  the  world  for  Christ  The  Con- 
gregational Churches  of  Wales,  worshiping  God  in  their  own  ancient 
language,  and  inheriting  that  primitive  British  Christianity  which  is 
older  than  the  name  of  England,  have  been  represented  by  the  Rev.  John 
Thomas,  C.  R.  Jones,  Esq.,  and  J.  Griffith,  Esq.,  deputed  for  that  service 
by  the  Glanmorganshire  Association.  From  the  Fatherland  of  our  own* 
Pilgrim  Fathers,  two  distinguished  ministers,  the  Rev.  Robert  Vaughan, 
D.  d.,  and  the  Rev.  Alexander  Raleigh,  D.  D.,  commissioned  by  the  Con- 
gregational Union  of  England  and  Wales,  the  Rev.  S.  R.  Asbury,  com- 
missioned by  the  North  Staffordshire  Congregational  Union,  and  another, 
who  needs  no  letters  of  reconmiendation  to  us,  the  Rev.  Dr.  James  W. 
Massie,  have  come  to  renew  and  confirm  the  alliance  which  ought  ever 
to  be  firm  and  intimate  between  the  Congregationalism  of  England  and 
the  Congregationalism  of  America.  The  presence  of  these  brethren  in 
our  National  Council  gives  us  the  opportunity  of  testifying  the  Christian 
fellowship  of  our  churches  with  all  in  every  land  who  are  sincerely  seekr 
ing  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  Christ 

To  our  brethren  in  the  neighboring  British  Provinces,  we  need  only 
respond  with  grateful  recognition  of  their  interest  in  us  and  in  the  work 
conmiitted  to  us.    Their  peculiar  work  is  in  some  degree  co-ordinate  with 

21 


322  RESPONSE  TO   FOREIGN   DELEGATIONS. 

ours.  It  is  for  them,  though  under  many  discouragements,  to  maintain 
and  propagate  in  their  country  those  religious  ideas  and  organiziiig 
forces  which  our  fathers  brought  with  them  to  New  England,  and  which, 
whenever  they  have  had  free  course  upon  this  continent,  have  made  the 
wilderness  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose.  May  God  give  them  enlarge- 
ment ,and  prosperity  1 

The  salutations  of  the  French  Evangelical  churches  remind  us  of  the 
many  points  of  contact  between  the  history  of  their  country  and  the  his- 
tory of  our  own.  Here  in  Boston  there  was  once  a  congregation  of 
French  Protestants  exiled  for  their  religion.  The  Huguenot  migration 
to  New  England  and  to  all  the  English  colonies  was  one  of  the  streams 
that  made  up  by  their  confluence  the  American  race  and  nationality. 
Names  that  were  once  French,  and  that  were  brought  hither  by  fugitives 
from  persecution  almost  two  hundred  years  ago,  are  borne  by  thousands 
of  our  people,  and  some  of  them  are  illustrious  in  our  history.  The  rela- 
tion of  France  to  the  achievement  of  our  national  independence  can 
never  be  forgotten  by  the  American  people  while  the  memory  of  Lafay- 
ette is  blended  with  the  memory  of  Washington.  From  the  earliest 
stages  of  the  French  Revolution  to  the  present  hour,  our  people,  more 
intently  perhaps  than  any  other,  have  watched  the  vicissitudes  of  liberty, 
and  especially  of  religious  liberty,  in  that  country.  Our  churches  have 
watched  with  prayer  and  with  praise  to  God  the  rekindled  life  in  the 
dying  remnants  of  French  Protestantism,  and  gladly  have  they  contrib-t 
uted  something  of  substantial  aid  to  a  movement  so  full  of  hope  for 
Europe  and  for  the  world.  Yet  when  the  terrible  storm  of  adversity 
burst  upon  our  country  four  years  ago,  and  we  looked  to  all  parts  of  the 
world  for  sympathy  from  the  wise  and  the  good,  we  little  expected  that 
from  a  Protestant  Frenchman  there  would  come,  to  invigorate  our  confi- 
dence in  God,  and  to  reassure  the  consciousness  of  our  relation  to  his 
work  who  is  making  all  things  new,  such  a  tribute  to  the  grandeur  of  our 
cause,  and  such  an  appeal  to  the  Christian  world  in  our  behalf,  as  came 
from  the  illustrious  Count  Ajenor  de  Gasparin.  We  were  in  a  position 
which  made  us  know  with  lively  sensibility  what  was  said  of  us  and  what 
was  thought  of  us  in  every  country  of  the  civilized  world.  It  gave  us  ho 
discouragement  to  find  that  everywhere  the  enemies  of  liberty  and  the 
upholders  of  military  and  priestly  despotisms  were  in  full  sympathy  with 
our  enemies.  But  to  know,  as  we  knew  from  the  beginning,  that  the 
friends  of  liberty  and  progress  throughout  Europe,  and  especially  in 
France,  were  our  friends,  and  that  they  recognized  the  identity  of  our 
cause  with  theirs,  gave  added  courage  to  all  our  loyal  people.  To  know, 
as  we  know,  that  the  religious  aspects  of  the  conflict,  and  its  relations  to 
the  work  and  kingdom  of  Christ,  were  understood  and  appreciated  by  the 
revived  Protestant  churches  of  Franco,  and  that  their  prayers  were 
unceasingly  oflered  for  us,  was  to  all  our  churches  a  fresh  insi)iration  of 
faith  and  hope.  From  our  experience  of  what  their  words  of  cheer  have 
been  to  us  in  our  darkest  hours,  we  would  learn,  for  our  own  guidance  in 
all  future  time,  how  much  good  the  Christian  people  of  one  nation  may  do 
to  the  Christian  people  of  another  nation,  in  times  of  peril  and  of  trial, 


RSSPONSE  TO   FOREIGN    DELEGATIONS.  328 

by  speaking  to  them  and  speaking  for  them,  words  of  Christian  sympa- 
thy and  confidence,  in  the  free,  clear  tone  of  Christian  manliness. 

Our  brethren  in  the  principality  of  "Wales  assure  us,  by  their  delegates, 
that,  in  the  great  struggle  of  our  nation  for  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
their  sympathy  with  us  has  been  constant  and  outspoken,  and  that  their 
prayers  have  been  ofiered  to  Grod  for  us  in  the  time  of  our  calamity.  It 
would  hardly  have  been  strange,  if,  in  the  seclusion  of  their  ancestral 
mountains,  they  had  felt  that  a  conflict  on  the  other  side  of  the  globe, 
though  all  the  world  beside  should  be  shaken  with  the  Titanic  struggle, 
was  no  concern  of  theirs,  and  that  the  military  neutrality  proclaimed  by 
the  government  of  their  country  required  them  to  suppress  their  moral 
and  religious  sjrmpathies.  But  the  mountains  are  ever  the  home  of  free 
and  brave  hearts;  and  the  ocean  over  which  adventurous  Madoc  is 
reputed  to  have  sailed  seven  hundred  years  ago,  has  been  crossed  in  more 
modern  times  by  thousands  of  Welshmen  who  have  retained  in  their 
homes  among  us  their  own  language  and  their  communications  with  their 
kindred  in  the  land  of  their  fathers.  The  Welsh  settlements  in  our  country 
are  settlements  of  Congregational  Calvinists,  and  evei-y where  they  have 
been  thoroughly  loyal  to  their  country  and  to  liberty.  To  them  in  part 
we  owe  it  that  the  Congregational  churches  in  Wales  have  so  well  under- 
stood  the  merits  of  .our  cause,  and  have  so  frankly  given  to  us,  in  our 
conflict  with  oppression  and  with  treason;  the  Cambrian  steadfastness  of 
their  sympathy,  and  the  Cambrian  fervor  of  their  prayers. 

In  England,  too,  our  country  and  our  churches  have  had,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  great  agony,  firm  and  enlightened  friends.  Perhaps  it 
was  a  fondness  on  our  part,  but,  in  that  love  for  old  England  which  so 
many  ages  of  separation  had  not  extinguished,  we  have  cherished  the 
belief  that  the  sovereign  lady,  whose  womanly  and  queenly  virtues  hare 
so  adorned  the  throne  of  her  ancestors,  has  not  forgotten  with  what 
enthusiasm  of  hospitality  her  royal  son  was  received  by  the  American 
people,  and  has  freely  given  the  homage  of  her  personal  sympathy  and 
regard  to  the  grandeur  of  the  sacrifices  which  God  has  required  of  us 
for  our  country  and  for  the  welfare  of  mankind.  In  the  highest  rank  of 
the  British  aristocracy,  one  at  least  was  found  (alas  that  we  can  not  join 
the  name  of  Shaftesbury  with  the  name  of  Argyle!)  who  at  the  first 
perceived  and  openly  declared  the  necessity  that  was  upon  us,  as  patriots 
and  as  men,  to  defend  in  arms  and  at  all  hazards,  not  our  national  inher- 
itance only,  but  our  national  life.  Among  the  foremost  statesmen  in  the 
British  House  of  Commons,  such  men  as  Bright  and  the  lamented  Cob- 
den,  —  whose  names,  like  that  of  Hampden  in  his  day,  are  greater  than 
titles  of  nobility,  —  among  philosophic  thinkers  in  the  sphere  of  political 
science,  such  men  as  Stuart  Mill,  and  Goldwin  Smith,  have  been  the 
champions  of  our  cause  before  their  countrymen.  But  notwithstanding 
all  this,  the  prevalent  opinion  of  England  and  of  Scotland  has  been  noto- 
riously adverse  to  our  cause.  Though  we  had  able  defenders  among  those 
who  control  the  journalism  of  Great  Britain,  the  most  powerful  of  the 
organs  that  sway  and  express  the  public  opinion  of  Great  Britain,  the 
most  ponderous  reviews,  the  most  popular  magazines,  the  most  widely 


824  RESPONSE  TO   FOREIGN   DELEGATIONS. 

drcolating  and  anihoritatiye  newspapers,  whig  and  torj,  conserratiTe 
and  radical,  high-church  and  infidel,  if  they  could  agree  in  nothing  elae^ 
were  well  agreed  in  their  hostility  to  us  and  in  their  sympathy  with  the 
rebellion. 

This  was  not  what  we  expected.  It  struck  the  hearts  of  thousands  of 
our  countrymen  with  a  pang  like  that  which  any  man  might  feel  when 
some  friend  whom  he  loved  and  trusted  has  suddenly  become  his  enemy. 
Yet  this  is  what  we  might  have  expected  if  we  had  adequately  consid- 
ered the  infirmities  of  human  nature  and  the  forces  by  which  national 
antipathies  are  generated  and  determined.  Our  kindred  in  Great  Britain 
had  seen  with  mingled  pride  and  apprehension  the  portentous  growth  of 
the  United  States,  and  had  been  sometimes  disgusted  with  that  boastful 
and  vain-glorious  habit  which  has  hitherto  entered  so  largely  into  our 
national  character.  We  can  not  wonder  that  the  British  nation  had  some 
feeling  of  relief  and  satisfaction  at  the  apparent  downfall  of  a  power  that 
had  seemed  likely  to  rival  ^^  the  mistress  of  the  seas,^'  and  that  might  have 
attempted  some  day  to  wrest  the  trident  from  her  grasp.  The  political 
institutions  of  the  United  States,  though  in  some  sense  an  outgrowth  of 
ancient  English  law  and  liberty,  had  no  place  for  the  theoretical  mon- 
archy and  the  actual  and  powerful  aristocracy  of  the  British  constitution. 
We  can  not  wonder  that  thousands  of  loyal  subjects  in  Great  Britain 
accepted  with  a  cheerful  feeling  the  apparent  ruin  of  our  federal  democ- 
racy, and  made  haste  to  infer  with  joy  the  impossibility  of  any  political 
welfare  without  a  powerftil  aristocracy.  In  the  United  States  there  was 
no  established  Church;  but  all  forms  of  worship  were  alike  protected  by 
the  law,  and  alike  dependent  upon  the  voluntary  offerings  of  the  people. 
We  can  not  wonder  that  in  England,  where  the  Established  Church  is 
ubiquitous  in  its  presence  and  its  power,  and  where  all  church  parties, 
High  Church,  Low  Church,  and  Broad  Church,  and  all  theologies  in  the 
church  from  ultra  Calvinism  to  ultra  Rationalism,  agree  in  venerating 
the  sanctity  of  tithes  and  in  abhorring  the  impiety  of  a  nation  without  a 
church  by  law  established,  there  was  a  religious  feeling,  widely  diffused, 
which  devotedly  interpreted  our  national  calamity  as  a  revelation  from 
heaven  of  God's  wrath  against  our  national  impiety.  Nor  was  this  aU. 
The  island  of  Great  Britain  is  on%  great  hive  of  manufacturing  industry ; 
and  British  commerce  has  been  for  many  ages  the  cynosure  of  British 
statesmanship.  But  on  the  other  hand  the  people  of  the  United  States 
have  shown  a  determination  to  enrich  their  own  country  by  a  large 
development  of  manufacturing  industry;  and  the  commerce  of  the  United 
States  had  seemed  likely  to  rival  the  world-wide  sweep,  and  to  surpass 
the  daring  enterprise  of  British  commerce.  We  can  not  wonder  that  the 
nation  which  the  first  Napoleon,  in  the  insolence  of  a  robber,  thought 
to  stigmatize  by  calling  it ''  a  nation  of  shopkeepers,"  and  in  which  the 
great  manufacturers  and  traders  already  share  with  the  ancient  aristoc- 
racy of  land-owners  the  actual  sovereignty  of  the  empire,  was  moved 
with  something  like  a  national  joy  at  what  seemed  to  be  the  final  paral- 
ysis and  ruin  of  a  great  commercial  rival.  Yet  there  was  one  class  in 
the  population  of  Great  Britain  which  surprised  the  world  by  standing 
firmly  and  bravely  for  U£. 


RESPONSE  TO   FOREIGN   DELEGATIONS.  825 

The  operativeB  in  the  manufacturing  districts  were  the  first  to  su^r 
from  the  effects  of  the  American  conflict  But  as  if  by  some  instinct 
divinely  given,  they  felt  and  knew  that  the  conflict  was  a  conflict  for  the 
rights  of  labor  and  the  liberty  of  all  mankind;  and  from  flrst  to  last  they 
steadfastly  resisted  all  attempts  to  bring  them  through  their  sufierings 
into  any  sort  of  fellowship  with  the  impious  power  that  was  struggling 
to  found  an  empire  on  the  principle  that  the  proprietors  of  land  and  cap- 
ital ought  also  to  be  the  proprietors  of  their  less  fortunate  fellow-men.  Let 
us  give  due  honor  to  the  humble  operatives  in  the  mills  and  forges  and 
countless  workshops  of  Great  Britain,  whom  God  enabled  to  stand  firm 
in  the  day  of  their  calamity  and  of  ours. 

From  our  brethren  of  the  Congregational  churches  in  England,  we 
expected  at  the  first  an  unequivocal  and  constant  declaration  of  sympa- 
thy with  the  American  people.  Were  they  not  our  brethren,  inheritors 
with  us  of  the  faith  and  order  for  which  the  martyrs  of  Congregational- 
ism suflered  under  Queen  Elizabeth?  Did  they  not  glory  in  our  Pilgrim 
Fathers?  Was  not  our  history  their  boast?  Was  not  our  religious  pros- 
perity, our  civil  liberty,  our  marvelous  progress  among  the  nations,  the 
most  powerful  of  arguments  for  their  principles?  Were  they  ashamed 
of  Milton  and  of  Cromwell,  or  of  the  position  which  Britain  held  among 
the  nations  when  a  Congregationalist  Lord  Protector  reigned  in  the 
place  of  the  perjured  and  persecuting  Stuarts?  Was  not  our  cause  "  the 
good  old  cause  "  of  the  Puritan  against  the  Cavalier,  acknowledged  and 
proclaimed  as  such  by  our  enemies?  Had  they  not  in  the  freedom  and 
fidelity  of  Congregational  fellowship,  rebuked  us  at  sundry  times  and 
in  divers  manners,  publicly  and  privately,  through  the  press  and  by 
official  communications,  for  the  lukewarmness  of  our  zeal  and  the  imper- 
fection of  our  testimony  against  the  wickedness  of  slavery?  And  when 
at  last  the  American  people,  roused  in  part  by  such  remonstrances  as 
theirs,  and  moved  by  the  pressure  of  a  purely  religious  feeling  through- 
out the  free  States,  —  a  feeling  to  which  the  Congregationalism  of  New 
England  and  the  North  contributed  more  than  its  full  share  of  glow  and 
impulse,  —  rendered,  in  the  unequivocal  form  of  a  national  election,  its 
purpose  to  arrest  the  extension  of  slavery  and  to  resist  the  insolent 
demands  of  the  slave-holding  and  slave-trading  interest,  though  at  the 
hazard  of  war  and  national  dissolution,  —  was  it  not  to  be  expected  that 
the  Congregational  churches  and  ministers  of  England,  with  one  voice  of 
no  uncertain  sound,  would  testify  for  the  righteousness  of  our  cause, 
not  only  as  the  cause  of  order  against  anarchy,  and  of  constitutional  gov- 
ernment by  votes  against  government  by  violence  and  arbitrary  power,  — 
not  only  as  the  cause  of  religious  liberty  and  the  universal  diffusion  of 
knowledge  against  a  system  which  made  the  Bible  an  incendiary  book  and 
the  teaching  of  the  alphabet  a  crime,  —  but  also  as  the  cause  of  personal 
freedom,  and  of  every  man's  right  to  his  own  limbs  and  faculties,  against 
the. hideous  atrocity  of  subjecting  a  race  to  perpetual  servitude,  hopeless 
and  unrewarded,  and  the  impiety  of  perverting  the  Christian  religion  into 
a  divine  warrant  for  that  atrocity. 

Our  brethren  who  bring  to  us  in  this  assembly  the  congratulations  of 


826  RESPONSE   TO   FOREIGN    DELEGATIONS. 

the  English  Congregational  Union  must  not  be  permitted  to  return  under 
any  impression  that  we  have  not  felt  deeply  and  sorrowfiiUy,  throu^ 
these  four  years  of  national  agony,  the  actual  position  of  English  Con- 
gregationalists.  We  know  that  among  them  there  have  been  some, 
whom  it  might  be  invidious  to  name,  because  we  could  not  name  them  all, 
who  have  been  from  first  to  last,  our  most  constant,  devoted,  and  faithful 
defenders.  We  frankly  and  gratefully  acknowledge,  on  the  testimony  of 
the  honored  delegates  here  present,  that  the  majority  of  the  Congrega- 
tional ministers  and  churches  in  England  have  sympathized  with  us,  and 
have  prayed  for  our  deliverance  from  our  enemies,  and  our  victory  over 
the  Antichrist  that  rose  up  to  destroy  us.  But  faithfulness  to  them  and 
to  Christ  forbids  us  to  forget  that  the  dominant  influences  in  the  Congre- 
gational Union,  and  the  ostensible  organs  of  Congregational  opinion  in 
England,  were  against  us,  or  that  honored  brethren  who  went  from  us  to 
them,  for  the  piu-pose  of  explaining  our  position,  and  asking  for  their 
sympathy  and  their  prayers,  were  refused  a  hearing.  Yet  while  we 
remember  this,  we  remember  it  not  as  rej^ing  any  unkind  remembrance 
of  an  injury  to  us.  We  accept  the  presence  of  the  beloved  and  honored 
delegates  who  have  stood  in  our  assembly  as  a  proof  that  they  now 
understand  us,  and  that  the  ancient  fraternity  and  unity  between  them 
and  us  shall  be  perpetual,  and  as  a  hopeful  omen  that  between  these  kin- 
dred nations  there  shall  be  peace,  ever  growing  more  intimate  and  indis- 
soluble by  co-operation  in  all  works  of  beneficence  to  mankind  and  of 
glory  to  God. 

Leonard  Bacon, 
Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
J.  M.  Sturtevant, 
KuFus  Anderson, 
J.  B.  Walker, 


^Committee, 


Kev.  Mr.  Quint.  I  make  the  motion  to  accept  and  to  adopt  this  report, 
I  feel  easier  and  breathe  easier  than  I  have  since  last  week.  I  have  had 
the  sound  of  those  cheers  weighing  down  upon  me  ever  since  the  recep- 
tion of  our  foreign  brethren,  and  I  am  glad  now  to  hear  this  manly  and 
clear  utterance. 

We  have  felt  the  position  of  England  toward  us.  I  have  felt  it  my- 
self particularly,  because  I  have  seen  its  eflect  England  is  now,  I  sup- 
pose, converted  and  on  our  side;  for  England  is  like  Providence,  "always 
on  the  side  of  the  strongest  battalions,"  always  ready  to  follow  the  pow- 
erful, and  always  ready  to  crush  the  weak  [A  few  hisses];  robbing  in 
India,  plundering  in  Ireland,  and  in  connection  with  our  affairs  worse 
than  that 

Some  of  you  think  I  feel  strongly  upon  this.  I  am  willing  you  should ; 
and  when  you  have  earned  the  right  to  feel  as  strongly  as  I  do,  and 
earned  it  in  the  same  way,  by  a  three  years'  devotion  of  your  life  in  the 
service  of  your  country,  and  have  had  England  to  fight  all  the  way,  then 
you  may  hiss  if  you  please;  you  will  then  be  entitled  to  the  respect  which 
I  am,  and  which  I  clainL    [Applause.] 


RBSPONSE  TO  FOREIGN  DELEGATIONS.  327 

When  those  cheers  were  given  the  other  day  I  could  not  help  thinking 
that,  notwithstanding  they  were  intended  for  the  adroit  eloquence  of  the 
venerable  brethren  whom  we  welcomed,  they  could  not  vindicate  by  that 
eloquence  the  facts  which  have  been  brought  out  in  this  report 

When  I  went  to  settle  in  the  place  where  I  live  I  found  that  my  peo- 
ple's property,  being  upon  the  sea,  had  been  given  to  the  flames  by  Brit- 
ish pirates,  vessels  of  war,  built  in  England,  manned,  and  supplied 
there.  But  when  I  was  in  the  service  of  my  country  and  saw  my  com- 
rades dead,  when  I  saw  friends  from  Wisconsin,  Indiana,  and  New  York 
dead  side  by  side,  I  knew  that  they  fell  by  British  bullets,  from  British 
muskets,  loaded  with  British  powder,  fired  by  men  wearing  British 
shoes  and  British  clothing,  and  backed  up  by  British  sympathy.  *  [Ap- 
plause.] 

But  now  they  are  converted.  Yes  I  Their  attention  was  arrested  at 
Atlanta.  Their  convictions  were  awakened  at  Savannah.  They  were 
very  strongly  convicted  of  sin  at  Petersburg,  and  tolerably  converted  at 
Bichmond;  and  I  hope  they  will  not  fall  from  grace  by  the  sin  there  was 
in  the  skirts  of  Jeff  Davis.    [Laughter  and  applause.] 

When  I  heard  those  cheers  the  other  day,  and  I  say  it  with  the  utmost 
kindness  of  feeling  toward  these  brethren,  I  wanted  to  cheer  them,  too, 
but  I  thought  I  heard  in  the  sound  of  those  cheers  [Referring  to  Dr. 
Vaughan's  speech  before  the  Council,  on  Thursday  the  15th],  the  whiz  of 
the  bullet,  the  crash  of  the  bursting  shell,  the  groans  of  the  Wounded, 
the  weeping  of  the  orphan,  and  the  wailing  of  widows  at  home,  made  so 
by  British  sympathy.    Brethren,  I  could  not  cheer! 

But  what  did  our  own  brethren  over  there  do  ?  How  did  they  feel  ? 
How  did  they  talk?  I  quote  extracts  from  their  leading  periodical 
[British  Quarterly:] 

"  We  have  no  faith  in  the  doctrine,  that  the  continuance  of  the  colossal 
Union  which  has  grown  up  over  that  vast  territory  is  desirahle.  We  feel 
convinced  that  some  division,  and  perhaps  more  than  one,  would  be  favor- 
able in  many  ways  to  the  progress  of  international  harmony,  and  of 
Christian  civilization. 

"  The  most  self-governed  people  in  the  world  have  become  the  most 
ill-governed.  The  world,  it  seems,  was  to  see  how  a  colossal  republic 
may  become  a  colossal  Napoleon  ;  how  the  former  may  become  as  am- 
bitious as  the  latter,  and  fully  as  heedless  in  regard  to  the  costs  of  its 
ambition. 

"  The  manhood  of  seven  millions  of  people  reduced  to  that  If  this  be 
anything  like  true,  has  the  world  ever  witnessed  a  carnage  so  deliberate 
and  so  horrible  ?  And  all  for  what  ?  That  slavery  may  be  annihilated, 
is  the  answer  of  some  well-meaning  but  mistaken  men.  For  the  perpet- 
uating of  empire  is  the  answer  from  the  m^ority  of  the  Northern  people. 
Disguise  it  as  we  may,  it  is  that  America  may  be  the  seat  of  a  Republic 
as  large  as  Europe,  and  that  it  may  be  strong  enough  to  issue  maritime 
law  to  Europe. 

"  The  issue  is  niurrowed  to  a  single  point  Independence  is  the  one 
word,  comprehending  everything  at  the  South.    Submission  is  the  one 


828  RESPONSE  TO   FOREIGN   DELEGATIONS. 

word  comprehending  everything  at  the  North, —  a  submission,  however, 
which  means  the  future  rule  of  a  vanquished  minority  by  a  conquering 
majority.  Wise  men  must  be  as  alien  from  the  spirit  of  tiie  invaders  in 
the  struggle  as  from  the  slave  element  of  the  invaded." 

When  I  heard  those  abominable  tory  principles  of  suffi'age,  which  I 
ached  to  oppose,  advocated  yesterday,  I  expected  something  different  here; 
I  did  not  as  to  England.  But  whiLs  I  felt  this  with  regard  to  England,  and 
with  regard  to  the  Congregationalists  there,  and  the  position  they  took, 
after  having  attacked  us  so  much  on  slavery  on  every  occasion,  I  felt 
also  in  my  heart  that  we  could  afford  to  be  generous  to  them,  if  they 
were JrarUc  to  us. 

It  fias  been  said  in  some  of  the  remarks  that "  we  do  not  want  war."  I  do 
not  want  war.  I  know  what  war  is;  and  I  tell  you,  brothers,  give  your- 
selves to  peace  always,  if  you  can  do  it  without  dishonor.  But  we  want  it 
understood  we  are  not  afraid  of  war,  — we  have  had  two  with  that  coun- 
try; this  last  ended  at  I^ew  Orleans,  and  if  we  begin  again,  we  can  begin 
from  that  point,  and  with  the  vantage  ground  of  Grant,  Sherman,  and 
Farragut  too.  We  shall  say  to  England  we  have  got  a  bill  for  you  to 
settle,  and  if  you  don't,  these  are  the  sheriflfe  we  send  after  you, — that's  all. 
"  We  could  sweep  from  the  ocean  each  other's  commerr.e,"  one  of  the 
brethren  says.  Brethren,  they  swept  away  ours;  but  then  their  pirates 
ran  into  ports  where  we  could  not  follow  them;  the  next  time,  we  follow 
them.    ' 

Now,  whatever  this  Council  does,  I  plant  myself  on  the  record  that  in 
the  present  position  of  English  Congregationalism  I  do  not  hold  myself 
responsible  for  any  fraternal  fellowship;  but  when  they  express  their  re- 
pentance for  the  past,  it  is  different  I  would  say  that  "  While  the  lamp 
holds  out " 

[Time  expired.]    [Laughter  and  applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York.  I  rise  to  second  the  motion  upon 
grounds  altogether  different  from  those  upon  which  the  adoption  of  it  has 
just  been  advocated.  I  like  every  word  of  that  report  I  like  its  truth; 
I  like  its  candor;  I  like  its  manliness;  and  I  like  its  kindness.  I  think 
this  body  is  prepared  to  adopt  it  unanimously,  and  therefore  I  shall  be  ex- 
tremely brief. 

When  we  are  thus  just,  as  I  think  we  are  to  our  English  brethren,  let 
us  not  forget  to  be  just  to  ourselves.  An  Englishman  has  ten  reasons  to 
study  t*ie  political  geography  of  continental  Europe  and  the  East,  where, 
prior  to  this  war,  he  hjid  one  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  geography  and 
institutions  of  the  United  States.  His  relations  to  us  were  for  the  most 
part  simply  commercial.  If  you  will  look  into  the  school-books  of  Great 
Britain,  and  see  how  small  a  portion  is  assigned  to  American  affairs,  you 
will  find  some  excuse  for  our  brethren  for  their  non-acquaintance  with 
our  institutions. 

When  President  Buchanan  was  called  to  confront  secession  from  his 
official  post,  he  announced  to  the  world  the  impossibility  of  coercing  a 
state.  As  the  representative  of  the  Um'ted  States,  he  declared  to  all 
mankind  the  right  of  secession,  and  denied  any  constitutional  or  material 


BESFONSE  TO   FOREIGN   DELEGATIONS.  329 

power  on  our  part  to  prevent  it.  It  was  a  monstrous  crime  in  him, 
equivalent  to  a  participation  in  treason  [Applause],  but  he  did  it  Then 
when  our  honored  and  lamented  and  beloved  Lincoln  came  into  office, 
in  his  inaugural  address,  in  the  vain  hope  of  sOothing  the  excited  feelings 
of  the  South,  he  went  out  of  the  way  to  say,  and  it  was  true  as  he  un- 
derstood it,  "  I  have  no  right  and  I  have  no  disposition  nor  intention  to 
interfere  with  slavery  in  the  States  where  it  exists."  Now  put  these  two 
things  together,  and  judge  an  Englishman  by  the  declaration  of  our  two 
presidents;  President  Buchanan's  declaration  that  we  had  no  right  to 
coerce  a  state,  and  President  Lincoln's  that  he  had  no  thought  of  inter- 
fering with  slavery,  and  can  you  wonder  that  he  should  say,  what  in  the 
world  then  are  you  fighting  for  ?  Is  it  wonderful  that  they  suspended 
their  judgment  ? 

Then  there  came  the  unfortunate  Trent  complication,  exciting  blood  in 
them,  and  exciting  blood  in  us.  I  think  this  much  is  due  to  them.  They 
made  a  sad  mistake;  they  lost  a  grand  opportimity  —  those  Congrega- 
tional brethren  of  ours.  We  have  labored  with  them.  I  have  myself 
been  in  constant  correspondence  with  the  leading  paper  of  the  Indepen- 
dents in  London;  and  the  brethren  who  have  read  those  letters  can  testi- 
fy whether  I  tried  to  deal  faithfully  with  their  consciences  upon  this  subr 
ject.  They  have  done  me  the  justice  to  print  every  line  I  sent,  except 
an  exposition  of  General  Butler's  conduct  in  New  Orleans,  which  may 
have  failed  to  reach  them,  and  which  did  not  appear. 

I  know  that  the  silence  in  their  Congregational  Union  is  not  a  token 
of  an  explicit  want  of  sympathy  in  our  cause,  because  they  have  had  to 
study,  as  we  have  had  to  study  here, those  nice  balancings  of  policy  so  as 
not  to  create  a  division  among  themselves,  and  interfere  with  their  great 
work  of  the  salvation  of  souls.  They  have  had  to  watch  against  dividing, 
disturbing  causes  among  themselves;  and  knowing  that  they  did  not  all 
cordially  agree  and  see  eye  to  eye,  they  have  forborne  to  have  a  contest 
upon  that  ground.  Dr.  Budington,  as  a  Committee  of  the  Congregational 
Union,  wrote  to  them  about  the  Bi-Centenary  Association,  and  made  a 
declaration  of  principles  concerning  the  war;  and  they  sent  back  a  compli- 
mentary letter  about  the  Bi-Centenary  Association  and  ignored  the  war. 
It  was  wrong;  it  was  a  mistake;  and  we  felt  it;  but  I  do  not  think  we 
should  stand  here  to-day  and  criminate  them  because  we  have  given  them 
BO  good  an  excuse  for  it.  Have  we  not  as  a  nation  been  in  such  com- 
plicity with  the  system  of  slavery  as  to  blind  our  brethren  across  the 
sea?  Now,  that  our  hands  have  been  washed  of  that  guilt  in  the  most 
precious  blood  of  the  land,  shall  we  stand  up  before  God  and  man  and 
say,  "We  have  washed  our  hands  in  innocency;  stand  by,  for  we  are 
holier  than  you  "  ? 

Rev.  Dr.  Vaughan,  of  England.  I  think  I  can  disabuse  your  minds 
a  little  on  this  subject.  I  am  one  of  the  very  few  men  now  living  who 
had  to  do  with  the  formation  of  our  national  representation — the  Con- 
gregational Union  of  England  and  Wales.  When  we  set  about  that 
work,  we  found  it,  to  our  surprise,  a  very  difficult  work.  Many  of  our 
old  and  most  influential  men  stood  aloof  from  it,  and  were  opposed  to  it, 


330  RESPONSE  TO   FOREIGN   DELEOATIDNfl. 

under  the  impression  that  it  might  grow  into  an  organized  invaeion  of 
the  liberty  of  our  independent  churches.  Our  Presbyterian  brethren, 
too,  were  not  slow  to  taunt  us  with  having  found  out  the  weak  places  of 
Congregationalism,  with  taking  a  leaf  out  of  their  book,  and  being  about 
to  come  over  to  them.  Our  Congregational  Union  has  outlived  all  that 
It  has  come  to  be  for  us  of  vast  importance.  It  has  given  us  a  place 
and  a  power  in  the  eyes  of  our  country  which  Congregationalism  has  not 
possessed  in  England  since  the  days  of  the  Commonwealth.  It  has  been 
seen  from  its  history  that  it  is  very  possible  for  institutional  indepen- 
dency to  be  allied  with  a  very  eflective  organization.  The  independency 
of  the  churches  may  be  allied  with  all  the  advantages,  within  certain  lim- 
its, of  concentrated  action. 

How  have  we  done  this?  It  has  been  by  a  determination  not  to  allow 
any  question,  relative  to  which  there  is  a  strong  division  of  opinion 
among  ourselves,  to  come  up  as  a  question  to  be  decided  in  our  Union. 
Had  we  allowed  questions  producing  excitement  and  narrow  divisions  to 
be  carried  by  bare  majorities,  or  it  may  be  by  impatient  and  boisterous 
majorities,  our  Union  would  have  been  anything  but  what  it  is.  A  large 
portion  of  our  more  thoughtful  and  influential  men  would  have  withdrawn 
from  it,  and  it  would  have  become  the  representation  of  a  part, —  a  sec- 
tion,—  and  not  of  British  Congregationalism.  We  may  have  been  in 
error  in  adopting  this  course,  but  that  is  the  course  we  have  pursued. 

Now,  in  not  allowing  the  discussion  of  the  events  of  your  war,  to  come 
up  in  our  Congregational  Union,  we  have  done  by  you  just  as  we  have 
been  doing  for  the  last  thirty  years  by  ourselves.  God's  law  requires 
that  a  man  should  love  his  neighbor  as  himself;  but  I  do  not  know  that 
it  requires  that  he  should  love  his  neighbor  beyond  himself.  We  were 
divided,  not  as  to  being  friends  and  enemies  of  your  country,  because 
there  has  not  been  an  enemy  to  your  country  to  my  knowledge  within  the 
range  of  Congregationalism  since  these  troubles  have  come  upon  you;  and 
I  think  I  know  more  of  English  Congregationalism  than  any  other  Eng- 
lishman. If  there  has  been  such  a  rara  avis  as  an  English  Congrega- 
tionalist  opposed  to  your  country,  it  has  not  come  under  my  notice. 
There  has  been  diversity  of  opinion,  but  not  of  that  kind.  When  you 
remember  what  has  been  said  by  my  esteemed  Mend,  Dr.  Thompson, 
when  you  consider  the  three  thousand  miles  of  ocean  rolling  between  you 
and  us,  and  that  we  were  not  likely  to  have  had  our  attention  drawn  to 
these  things,  you  will  see  that  we  had  some  reason  for  hesitating  to  risk 
our  union  for  the  sake  of  giving  expression  to  our  opinion  what  the  re- 
sults of  the  war  ought  to  be. 

Our  press  was  open  to  you  everywhere.  Scores  and  hundreds  of  our 
pulpits  were  open  to  you  if  you  chose  to  occupy  them.  They  were  oc- 
cupied in  your  behalf  by  many  of  our  ablest  men.  We  simply  required 
that  our  Union  should  restrict  itself  to  the  reiteration  of  its  emphatic  ut- 
terances against  the  slave  system.  Now  I  leave  it  to  your  candor. 
Condemn  us  if  you  think  fit;  but  I  hardly  think  you  will. 

Now,  sir,  a  we-rd  for  myself.  Since  I  have  come  to  this  country  I 
have  been  in  many  instances,  relative  to  this  question,  rather  severely 


RSSFONSE  TO  FOREIGN  DELEOATI0N8.  831 

criticised.  I  have  been  so  under  this  roof  to-day.  It  is  quite  true,  my 
brethren,  that  at  the  outset  of  your  troubles,  I  was  one  of  those  who  had 
the  impression  that  from  the  nature  of  the  country  and  from  other 
causes,  the  conquest  of  the  South  was  not  practicable.  My  impression 
further  was  that,  if  it  should  be  practicable,  it  would  be  at  the  cost  of 
such  a  fearfUl  amount  of  suffering,  both  in  the  process  and  consequent 
upon  conquest,  that  it  was  hardly  to  be  warranted  that  even  the  extinc- 
tion of  slavery  should  be  sought  -for  at  such  a  terrible  price. 

If  I  was  a  sinner  for  thinking  thus,  I  can  assure  you  that  I  was  a  sin- 
ner in  company  with  many  of  our  most  enlightened  and  of  your  most 
warm-hearted  friends  in  our  country.  I  can  say  here,  in  your  presence, 
and  in  the  presence  of  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  that  I  have  not  uttered  a 
sentiment  concerning  your  affairs  at  any  time  that  has  not  been  a  solemn 
conviction  of  my  mind  according  to  the  evidence  that  has  been  before 
me  at  the  time.  I  have  never  said  a  word  that  could  be  painful  to  you  that 
w^as  not  connected  with  much  more  pain  in  my  own  mind  than  it  was 
likely  to  bring  to  you.  My  affection  for  your  country  is,  and  ever  has 
been,  next  to  the  affection  that  I  bear  my  own.  [Applause.]  My  brethren 
in  England  all  know  that;  you  may  not  know  it,  but  they  do,  and  they 
have  grounded  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  sending  me  here  upon  what  they 
know  relative  to  my  feeling  toward  you. 

I  have  been  represented  as  being  a  great  check  to  the  Congregational 
Union,  preventing  its  speaking  for  you  on  more  than  one  occasion.  I 
think  in  the  course  of  four  years  I  have  in  two  instances  uttered  a  few 
sentences,  a  very  few,  relative  to  it;  to  the  effect  that  I  thought  we  would 
better  go  on  as  we  had  been,  and  avoid  the  hazard  of  wrecking  our 
union  by  introducing  what  would  be  a  divided  question. 

Then  I  think  I  may  venture  to  say,  without  the  fear  of  contradiction, 
that  I  have  done  more  in  my  country  for  the  exposition  And  defense  of 
our  common  principles  as  Congregationalists,  than  any  other  Englishman; 
and  I  think  I  have  done  more  for  the  defense  and  exposition  of  your 
Congregationalism  than  any  other  Englishman  has  done.  It  is  only 
three  years  ago,  when  we  were  engaged  in  our  Bi-centenary  controversy, 
when  our  Episcopalians  were  ransacking  your  annals,  and  bringing  out 
of  them  all  the  instances  they  could  select  to  show  the  ignorance  and  in- 
tolerance of  your  forefathers,  and  thus  attacking  your  Congregationalism, 
that  I  was  able  to  put  an  end  to  it;  and  I  did.  [Applause.]  I  gave  the 
story  as  it  is, — not  garbled  as  they  gave  it;  and  there  was  an  end  of  that 
kind  of  warfare. 

It  is  because  my  brethren  know  my  heart  has  been  with  you,  and 
I  have  been  as  ready  to  fight  your  battles  as  theirs,,  that  they  imagined  it 
would  be  a  fitting  thing  for  me  to  stand  here  to-day  in  your  presence,  afid 
bid  you  Grod-speed.    [Applause.] 

Then  as  to  this  war,  and  as  to  what  is  said  to  have  taken  place  at  our 
last  annual  meeting  of  the  Congregational  Union;  I  am  said  to  have 
breasted  opinion,  to  have  opposed  the  expression  of  opinion  in  your  favor. 
With  submission,  that  is  just  the  reverse  of  the  truth.  Instead  of  that, 
1  consented  to  the  passage  of  resolutions  drawn  up,  calling  for  sympathy 


832  RESPONSE  TO    FOREIGN    DELEGATIONS. 

m  your  behalf ;  and  said  then,  in  the  presence  of  all  my  brethren,  — 
without  the  slightest  idea  of  coming  here  to  say  anything  like  it, — the 
substance  of  what  I  said  the  other  day  in  your  hearing.  My  brethren 
know  this;  and  on  those  grounds  they  sent  me. 

Then  I  wish  just  to  say  that  I  have  not  become  converted,  as  the  rev- 
erend gentleman  who  has  addressed  the  Convention  just  now,  in  the 
course  of  his  remarks  seemed  to  imply,  from  some  cowardly  motives 
changing  my  views.  I  am  no  coward;  not  a  bit  of  it.  [Applause.] 
And  I  think  I  am  not  a  selfish  man  either.  I  have  said  what  I  have  said 
when  I  have  been  obliged  to  speak  against  you,  frankly  and  honestly; 
and  I  say  everything  I  say  to  you,  that  is  kindly  and  acceptable  to  you, 
just  as  frankly. 

Now,  what  I  have  seen,  from  what  has  been  brought  before  my  mind 
during  not  merely  the  last  year  but  the  whole  of  this  struggle,  I  have 
certainly  received,  with  regard  to  your  affairs,  light  I  had  not  before,  I 
now  believe  that  those  Southern  provinces  that  you  have  vanquished, 
were  the  homes  of  a  society  that  were  so  corrupt  that  there  was  no  other 
way  of  effectually  dealing  with  it  besides  that  you  have  taken.  [Great 
applause.]  And  I  do  thank  God  and  congratulate  you  on  the  triumph 
of  the  Northern  armies  over  that  portion  of  your  country.  [Renewed 
applause.]  I  would  say  again  that  I  think  if  you  could  have  drifted 
those  Southern  States  a  thousand  leagues  off  into  the  Atlantic,  to  take 
their  pest-house  with  them,  and  left  them  there,  it  would  have  been  a 
good  thing  for  you  to  do.  But  you  could  not  do  it  They  must  be  side 
by  side  with  you;  and  for  them  to  be  side  by  side  with  the  systems  at 
work  at  the  North,  I  see  clearly,  would  have  been  to  entail  upon  you 
mischiefs  perpetual,  and  mischiefs  the  most  complicated.  Providence 
has  dealt  with  this  matter,  I  believe,  in  the  way  intended  for  your  gen- 
eral good,  and  for  the  good  of  humanity.  I  sincerely  congratulate  you  on 
this  account. 

Why  have  I  said  this?  Not  that  I  might  win  favor  of  those  who  have 
cast  their  sneers  upon  me.  I  do  not  ask  them  for  favor.  I  do  not  ask 
them  for  justice.  I  leave  them  to  what  may  be  pleasing  to  them.  But 
I  am  very  anxious  that  you  should  see  this  matter  as  it  is;  that  you 
should  see  the  case  of  our  Congregational  Union  as  it  is;  that  you  should 
see  on  what  ground  it  is  that  they  have  sent  me  here  into  your  midst 
And  I  make  no  secret  of  saying,  that  though  I  shall  never  perhaps  look 
upon  any  face  among  you  again,  after  a  few  days  more,  I  should  like  to 
live  in  your  hearts  with  the  character  of  an  honest  man.  [Great  applause.] 

The  hour  of  taking  the  recess  having  arrived,  and  Mr. 
Beecher  being  loudly  called  for, 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  the  order  of  the  day  requiring 
a  recess  to  be  taken  at  one  o'clock,  was  suspended. 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher.  When  I  landed  in  England  last  year, 
not  far  from  this  time,  no  man  could  well  have  persuaded  me,  from  what 


RESPONSE  TO    FOREIGN    DELEGATIONS.  338 

I  saw,  arid  felt,  and  observed  in  others  that  felt,  that  England  in  any  of 
its  parts,  had  either  direct  or  remote  sympathy  with  us.  It  seemed  to 
The  that  they  were  given  up  to  believe  a  lie  that  they  might  be  damned; 
and  I  felt  incensed  when  any  man  told  me  there  was  a  deep  feeling  of 
sympathy  for  our  country  two  years  ago.  After  I  had  cooled  myself  off 
in  Switzerland,  and  come  round  through  phlegmatic  Germany,  when  I 
came  back  to  London,  some  of  the  brethren  were  kind  enough  to  deal 
with  me;  and  as  the  result  of  their  faithfulness,  and  my  more  intimate 
acquaintance  with  things,  I  at  last  had  the  eyes  of  my  understanding 
opened,  so  that  I  felt,  —  "Confound  those  Englishmen,  I  love  them  in 
spite  of  myself." 

I  could  not  deny  that  the  allegations  that  we  made  on  our  side,  were 
founded,  as  we  looked  on  things,  in  justice  and  in  truth.  And  I  could 
not  deny,  when  I  saw  the  interior  working  of  things  in  England,  that 
for  the  most  part  the  brethren  there  had  reasons  and  motive  causes  of 
action  which  we  neither  understood  on  this  side,  nor,  from  the  nature  of 
our  institutions  and  customs,  could  be  made  well  to  understand.  But  I 
did  come  to  feel,  while  I  was  in  England,  that  while  there  was  great  dis- 
crepancy of  judgment  among  even  those  who  were  our  friends,  and  still 
more  among  the  lukewarm  and  our  enemies,  there  was  a  cordial,  influen- 
tial feeling  among  the  Dissenters  of  England,  for  our  strife  and  our 
cause  in  America;  and  I  have  never  had  any  occasion  to  change  the  con- 
viction that  I  brought  with  me  from  my  father-land.  I  loved  England 
before  I  went  there  with  a  kind  of  romantic  and  poetic  love;  and  it  was 
not  decreased,  although  I  was  tossed  a  night  and  a  day  upon  the  sea 
there,  and  had  some  fights  with  the  wild  beasts  at  Ephesus;  for  I  think 
my  feelings  came  back  to  my  father-land  with  just  as  much  enthusiasm 
and  with  deeper  veneration  than  before  the  insurrection  broke  out 

I  do  not  say  these  things  to  smooth  over  the  matter.  I  think  they  are 
an  excuse,  a  palliation,  but  not  a  justification.  I  think  they  ought  to  have 
taken  a  different  course.  Their  convictions  were  sincere;  they  were 
thoroughly  honest;  they  believed  they  were  doing  their  duty;  but  I  dif- 
fer from  them  in  judgment  very  seriously  in  this  regard.  The  French- 
men had  just  as  many  reasons  for  mistake;  and  I  felt  thoroughly 
ashamed  that  in  a  nation  speaking  another  language,  they  could  see  like 
daylight  through  all  our  difficulties  and  appreciate  our  position  so  well, 
while  those  from  whom  we  borrowed  our  customs,  our  polity,  and  most  of 
our  ideas  of  government,  speaking  our  own  language,  stumbled  and  could 
not  see.  I  felt  bad  about  that;  and  as  for  their  teachers  I  did  not  feel  that 
there  was  any  palliation  or  justification.  It  was  their,  place  to  see.  They 
were  appointed  for  seers,  and  put  upon  the  mountain-top,  to  distinguish 
between  good  and  evil  the  world  over,  to  draw  the  lines  the  world  over; 
and  if  they  have  no  function  for  that,  what  is  their  function?  [Ap- 
plause.] 

But  that  is  all  past.  "We  felt  it  needful  in  receiving  these  brethren 
they  should  understand  that  we  saw,  and  that  they  should  see,  the  facts 
of  the  past,  and  ths^  they  should  know  that  we  were  not  in  any  manner 
deceived.    But  that  is  all;  there  is  nothing  more  to  say;  and  now  let  the 


334  RESPONSE  TO  FOREIGN  DELEGATIONS. 

• 

past  bury  the  past;  let  the  dead  bury  the  dead.  There  is  no  enmity  be- 
tween England  and  America  to-day.  [Applause.]  I  do  not  believe 
there  will  be  any  cause  of  offense  given  by  the  English  government.  If 
that  which  I  understand  to  be  the  demand  of  our  government,  as  unques- 
tionably it  will  be,  reparation  for  the  losses  we  have  suffered  through 
their  malfeasance  and  defective  administration,  is  denied  both  to  be  valid 
and  to  be  just,  let  it  be  referred  to  some  just  and  disinterested  party. 
[Applause.]  I  think  I  may  say  that  the  Christian  population  of  America 
are  perfectly  willing  to  refer  our  losses  to  arbitration ;  and  that  if  a  just 
arbitrator  is  found,  and  if  he  decides  against  us,  we  will  repeat  one  of 
the  sublimes t  spectacles  the  world  has  ever  seen,  —  our  action  in  the  case 
of  the  Trent  The  moment  our  Secretary  of  State  said — and  it  was 
said  to  the  hot  heart  and  fierce  zeal  of  this  enkindled  nation  —  that  we 
were  in  the  wrong,  and  we  must  take  such  a  course,  there  never  was  a 
single  word  pronounced  against  it  by  newspaper,  caucus,  or  people.  We 
say  that  this  people,  by  virtue  of  their  liberty,  and  intelligence,  and  by 
virtue  of  their  civil  and  religious  polity,  are  a  nation  loving  law  better 
than  any  other  nation  on  the  earth  can.  It  is  the  glory  of  our  institu- 
tions that  it  makes  the  people  at  once  the  fountain  of  the  law,  and  then  the 
mothers  and  nurses  of  that  law  they  themselves  bring  forth.  Nowhere 
else  is  there  a  disposition  so  universal  to  observe  that  which  is  found  to 
be  just  by  the  proper  tribunals.  And  if  the  tribunal  to  which  we  shall 
jointly  refer  this,  shall  determine  that  these  losses  are  not  the  fault  of 
England,  and  she  must  not  be  held  responsible,  we  never  shall  say 
another  word  on  the  subject.     [Applause.] 

More  than  that;  we  have  an  account  to  settle  with  England.  There  is 
a  reckoning  between  us,  and  we  tell  these  brethren  they  have  got  to 
come  to  that  and  can  not  shirk  it.  We  are  boimd  to  do  moro  for  the 
world  than  they  can.  [Applause.]  We  are  bound  to  send  two  mis- 
sionaries where  they  send  one ;  and  better  fellows  too.  We  are  bound 
to  work  more  for  the  education  of  the  common  people  of  the  globe.  I 
should  not  wonder  if  we  sent  missionaries  even  to  England  yet.  [Laughter 
and  applause.]  We  acknowledge  the  tie  that  binds  us  to  you.  It  is  not 
a  vain  saying  that  we  are  proud  of  our  origin.  It  is  for  no  offense  that 
I  say  that  our  greatness  arises  in  our  own  judgment  from  the  antagonism 
of  England.  Some  have  thought  that  we  dominated  them.  They  know 
not  our  feeling  toward  them.  During  the  time  that  Southerners  swag- 
gered in  our  councils,  we  did;  but  never,  since  the  days  of  Washing- 
ton, when  Northern  counsels  prevailed.  We  are  not  a  warlike  people, 
although  capable  of  war  on  a  just  occasion.  It  is  not  to  our  taste.  It 
is  not  in  consonance  with  our  polity,  the  current  of  our  thoughts  or  the 
occupation  of  our  minds.  AVTiere  did  you  ever  see  so  large  a  war  so  suc- 
cessfully carried  on?  Where  did  you  ever  see  so  large  an  army  dissolve 
as  the  snows  of  March  dissolve  when  April  gives  advice  to  them.  They 
have  gone  back  to  the  forge,  and  the  field ;  and  now,  everywhere,  east 
and  west,  we  are  bent  again  upon  the  arts  of  peace  and  civilization;  and 
in  an  enthusiastic  spirit  we  are  bent  on  evangelization  And  New  Eng- 
land to-day,  the  most  hated  of  all  the  parts  of  the  continent,  New 


RESPONSE  TO    FOREIGN    DELEGATIONS.  335 

England  that  has  been  hated,  kicked  at  and  cursed  everywhere,  goaded 
and  pursued  for  the  last  fifty  years,  —  what  is  New  England  doing  to- 
day? Councils,  and  caucuses,  an4  conventions  are  working  to  procure 
money  to  pour  school-books  into  the  South,  to  support  missionaries  and 
teachers  there,  and  considering  how  we  shall  bind  up  the  wounds  we 
were  obliged  to  make.  While  the  South  is  in  trouble,  we  have  i^tood  like 
the  lather  of  the  whipped  boy,  crying  as  much  as  the  boy  did.  Every 
blow  smitten  upon  them  was  smitten  upon  ourselves  as  well.  For  my- 
self I  never  felt  as  much  yearning  affection  for  the  South  as  I  feel  to-day, 
as  a  part  and  parcel  of  us.  To  labor  for  the  South  is  to  help  not  the 
South  alone  but  all  mankind.  We  feel  that  God  has  given  us  to-day  this 
large  territory,  unobstructed  with  old  hereditary  institutions,  with  the  evils 
of  past  generations  cleared  out  of  the  way,  as  a  field  inexhaustible  for 
us  to  cultivate.  It  is  not  that  we  may  pride  ourselves,  or  enjoy  luxury 
or  leisure,  but  that  we  may  work  harder  and  do  more  for  the  regenera- 
tion of  the  world  than  those  nations  tied  up  and  hampered  by  institutions 
that  have  come  down  to  them  from  barbaric  ages.  And  in  this  great 
work  I  throw  down  the  gauntlet  to  you  and  defy  you  to  outdo  us;  while, 
in  the  name  of  your  Christian  brethren  in  America,  I  extend  in  greeting, 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  to  you,  brother  Haleigh,  whom  I  knew 
across  the  seas,  and  to  you,  brother  Vaughan,  whom  I  met  for  the  first 
time  here.  [At  this  point,  Rev.  Mr.  Beecher,  shook  hands  cordially  with 
Dr.  Raleigh,  and  Dr.  Vaughan,  amid  tumultuous  applause,  cheering,  and 
waving  of  handkerchiefs,  concluding  with  three  hearty  cheers  for  "  Eng- 
land and  America  forever."  ] 

Go  back  then;  tell  your  brethren  what  we  have  honestly  said;  that  if 
we  have  spoken  to  your  blame,  it  is  not  because  we  are  angry,  or  cherish 
animosity,  not  because  there  is  lurking  in  us  any  warlike  feeling,  but 
that  we  are  in  the  full  spirit  of  fellowship  and  Christian  love  with  you, 
and  long  to  go  on  with  you  side  by  side  in  the  great  work  of  the  civiliza- 
tion and  Christianization  of  the  globe.  For  though  the  French  peo- 
ple have  sympathized  with  us  and  better  understood  us  in  this  great 
struggle,  after  all  "  blood  is  thicker  than  water."  [Applause.]  I  would 
rather  have  an  Englishman  back  me  in  a  difikjulty  than  any  other  man 
on  the  face  of  the  globe,  unless  it  be  a  Scotchman  or  an  Irishman,  and  I 
count  them  all  three  to  make  only  one  Englishman.  [Laughter.]  In 
this  country  it  takes  but  one  man  to  make  a  man.  [Renewed  laughter.] 
And  now,  sir,  I  hope  there  is  peace  among  us;  and  all  I  ask  is,  that  if 
there  is,  and  if  I  have  helped  to  make  it,  I  may  have  some  of  the  bless- 
ing promised  to  the  peace-makers.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Raleigh,  was  greeted  with  loud  applause,  and  said:  I  have 
but  one  word  to  say;  I  think  it  will  be  better  to  say  but  one  word,  and 
not  even  to  attempt  anything  that  might  be  regarded  as  "adroit." 
[Laughter.]  I  bethink  me  of  an  old  minister  in  Scotland  who  had  the 
habit  in  teaching  his  people,  —  and  a  very  good  habit  let  me  say,  —  of 
expounding  the  Scriptures  book  by  book  and  chapter  by  chapter;  and 
of  course  the  good  man  sometimes  came  to  passages  hard  to  be  under- 
stood; and  his  way  of  getting  over  a  diflftculty, — just  such  a  difliculty  I 


836  RESPONSE  TO  FOREIGN  DELEGATIONS. 

think  as  we  have  on  hand  this  morning,  —  was  very  convenient,  to  say 
the  least  of  it.  He  would  say,  "  Ko  doubt,  my  Christian  brethren,  there 
is  a  great  difficulty  here,  as  all  the  commentators  are  agreed  upon  that; 
so  let  us  look  the  difficulty  boldly  in  the  face,  and  —  pass  on."  [Great 
laughter.] 
A  Member.  Isn't  that  "  adroit "  ?  [Renewed  laughter.] 
Rev.  Dr.  R.  proceeded :  We  must  pass  on,  sir.  We  must  pass  on  into 
a  new  time,  to  higher  and  holier  duties  tha1>  are  awaiting  us,  through 
all  the  chequered  experiences  which  come  to  us  as  to  you  in  the  service 
of  our  Master.  I  have,  as  I  said,  but  one  word  to  utter  now;  and  that 
is,  in  the  spirit  of  all  I  have  said  among  you,  that  I  hope  we  shall  pass  on 
hand  in  hand.  May  God  bless  you  for  the  kindness,  abundant  and  con- 
tinual, manifested  to  us  in  your  homes,  and  the  kindly  reception  given  to 
the  poor  words  we  have  uttered  in  your  sanctuaries  and  meetings.  May 
God  bless  you,  and  make  you  a  blessing;  and  in  the  memory  of  the  suf- 
fering you  have  passed  through,  and  in  the  prospect  of  the  work  waiting 
for  you  to  do,  may  he  make  you  patient  and  loving,  even  as  he  has  made 
you  strong,  and  fearless,  and  free.    [Applause.] 

A  member  moved  to  amend  the  address  by  striking  out  the 
expression, "  With  the  insolence  of  a  robber."  [Referring  to  the 
Emperor  Napoleon.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon  objected.  He  had  thought  of  putting.it,  "with  the 
insolence  of  a  slaveholder; "  but  he  preferred  the  expression  as  it  stood. 

4 

The  amendment  was  rejected. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver.  I  move  that  the  passage  characterizing  the 
nation  as  "boastful  and  vainglorious,"  be  omitted.  I  think  that  was 
true  of  us  when  the  slave-holders  governed  and  were  the  mouth-piece  of 
the  nation,  and  gave  tone  to  its  public  sentiment;  but  1  hope  that  we 
shall  not  say  that  it  is  true  of  us  now. 

The  passage  was  read. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  I  submit  that  that  is  true,  every  syllable  of  it;  and 
that  it  is  very  becoming  in  us  to  say  it  under  the  circumstances.  It  is  not 
the  habit  of  our  government  under  the  administration  of  Korthem  free- 
men to  be  vainglorious  and  boastful;  but  it  is  the  habit  of  our  demo- 
cratic people  to-day;  and  how  much  of  it  we  have  on  this  platform  now. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts.  John  Bull  boasts  down  in  the 
belly,  and  we  in  the  mouth.    He  feels  as  large  as  anybody. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver.  Every  traveler  in  Europe  has  this  thrown  in 
his  face;  and  I  say  it  is  not  tnie  of  this  nation  that  we  are  more  boastful 
or  vainglorious  than  other  nations.  It  would  be  wronging  ourselves  to 
adopt  that  expression,  and  it  would  be  quoted  against  us  everywhere. 


DEBATE   ON   ADJOURlfMENT.  837 

A  Membeb.  I  hope  it  will  be  qualified  by  adding  '^  in  common  with 
all  nations."    [Laughter.] 

Dr.  Bacok.  The  passage  reads:  "  Our  kindred  in  Great  Britain  had 
seen,  with  mingled  pride  and  apprehension,  the  portentous  growth  of  the 
United  States,  and  had  been  sometimes  disgusted  with  that  boastful  and 
vainglorious  habit  which  enters  so  largely  into  our  national  character," 
"  and  which  we  inherit  from  them,"  —  suppose  we  put  that  in.  [Laugh- 
ter.] If  that  clause  is  stricken  out,  this  very  sentence  will  be  an  instance 
of  the  vice.  They  "  had  seen  with  mingled  pride  and  apprehension  the 
portentous  growth  of  the  United  States."  There  is  Jonathan  for  you. 
Jt  is  necessary  that  some  clause  of  voluntary  humility  should  be  added. 

The  amendment  was  rejected. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  the  word  "  hitherto ''  was  in- 
serted, so  as  to  read  "  which  has  hitherto  entered  so  largely,"  &c. 

The  report  was  then  adopted. 

It  was  now  half  past  one  o'clock. 

Hon.  Linus  Child,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  that  the  Council 
meet  this  afternoon  at  half  past  three,  instead  of  three  o'clock, 
and  continue  in  session  for  two  hours. 

The  motion  was  rejected,  upon  division ;  ayes,  75,  — noes,  82.. 

The  Council  then  took  a  recess  until  three  o'clock,  p.  m. 

AFTEENOON  SESSION. 

The  Council  were  called  to  order  at  three  o'clock,  p.  M.,  by 
Hon.  C.  G.  Hammond,  First  Assistant  Moderator. 

Rev.  Dr.  Btjdington,  of  New  York,  moved  that  the  Business  Com- 
mittee be  instructed  to  prepare  the  remaining  business  of  the  Coun- 
cil, with  the  view  to  adjournment  at  5  o'clock,  P.  M.,  on  Friday.-  If  the 
business  was  not  completed  by  that  time  the  Council  would  be  kept  over 
another  Sabbath.  Many  delegates  would  be  unable  to  remain;  and 
rather  than  have  the  business  left  to  be  transacted  by  a  small  mi- 
nority, he  would  prefer  to  hand  the  subjects  remaining  over  to  com- 
mittees to  prepare  reports,  to  report  at  an  adjourned  meeting  six  months 
or  a  year  hence;  or  to  refer  them  to  committees  representing  aU  shades- 
of  opinion,  to  prepare  reports,  with  foot-notes,  expressing  the  various 
opinions;  such  reports  to  be  printed  and  distributed  to  the  Council. 

Rev.  Messrs.  Savage,  of  Illinois,  and  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut, 
opposed  the  motion,  on  the  ground  that  the  business  of  the  Council  would 
require  the  session  to  be  continued  over  the  Sabbath. 

The  motion  was  rejected. 

22 


838  FREE    ITALIAN   CHUBCH. 

FREE  ITALIAN  CHURCH. 

Rev.  Edj^rard  N.  Kirk,  d.  d.,  Chairman  of  the  committee  on 
Italy,  reported  the  following  resolutions : 

Wfierea^,  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  has  hreathed  on  the  i)eople  of  Italy, 
and  rekindled  the  fires  of  godliness  extinguished  by  the  Roman  hie- 
rarchy; and 

Whereas,  The  providence  of  God  is  leading  this  people  out  from  the 
bondage  of  superstition  and  of  a  tyrannic  priesthood;  therefore, 

Besolved,  1.  That  this  Council  recognize  with  fraternal  sympathy,  and 
with  thankfulness  to  God,  their  attainment  to  the  blessings  of  civil  and 
religious  liberty. 

2.  That  this  Council  entertains  a  lively  sympathy  with  every  soul, 
however  obscure,  there  and  elsewhere,  earnestly  searching  God's  word 
to  learn  the  character  and  will  of  God. 

3.  That  this  Council  congratulates  the  various  little  bands  of-  believers 
who  are  striving  to  organize  themselves  into  churches  of  Christ  imder 
any  of  the  several  forms  adopted  in  our  Protestant  countries. 

4.  That  this  Council  regards  with  peculiar  interest  those  who  are 
founding  free  Italian  churches,  independent  of  foreign  control  or  dicta- 
tion; seeking  to  rebuild  on  the  foundation  of  apostles  and  prophets, 
Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  comer-stone. 

6.  That  the  Council  request  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Clark  of  Milan,  and 
Hall  of  Florence,  to  convey  to  our  Italian  brethren  the  expression  of 
our  sympathy,  and  the  assurance  that,  by  prayers  and  pecuniary  contri- 
butions, we  will  do  what  in  us  lies  to  promote  the  advancement  of  Christ's 
kingdom  in  their  beautiftil  and  classic  land. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  said:  Rev.  Mr.  Walker  having  just  returned  from 
Italy,  will  present  to  the  Council  a  very  succinct  and  impressive  view  of 
the  religious  condition  of  Italy.  I  will  merely  say  that  the  progress 
of  free  government  has  liberated  the  consciences  of  the  Italians  from 
priestly  domination.  The  Bible  is  now  extensively  circulated  in  Sunday 
schools  on  our  plan,  and  the  gospel  extensively  preached.  There  are 
three  classes  of  converts ;  Ist,  those  who  have  embraced  the  gosi)el  imder 
the  influence  of  the  British  Wesleyan  missionaries,  who  are  the  first 
missionaries  who  preached  the  gospel  to  them,  but  who  are  now  drawing 
the  lines  tightly  round  them  to  organize  them  as  a  part  of  the  Metho- 
dist church;  2d,  the  Waldensians,  who  are  trying  to  form  Waldensian 
churches;  and  3d,  a  body  organized  upon  Congregational  principles,  and 
called  the  Free  Italian  Church.  They  know  nothing  of  our  principles;  . 
but  they  have  studied  the  Bible,  and  do  not  want  to  be  British  Christians, 
or  Waldensians,  but  Italian  Christians.  One  remark  they  make  requires 
a  word  of  explanation,  that  the  Waldensian  supreme  body  is  called  the 
Waldensian  Table.  These  men  say  they  have  "left  the  Papal  Chair,  and 
do  not  want  to  be  covered  by  the  Waldensian  Table. 

Rev.  Edward  A.  Walker,  of  Massachusetts  (recently  from  Italy). 
I  come  bringing  you  the  news  that  there  is  at  present  going  on  in  Italy 


FREE   ITALIAN   CHURCH.  839 

a  movement  which  for  power,  extent,  and  spiritual  purity,  has  scarcely 
been  equaled  in  the  history  of  modem  Christianity.  You  may  not  be 
aware  that  at  the  present  time  there  is  being  convened  in  the  ancient 
city  of  Bologna  what  might  be  called  a  national  council  of  the  Congrega- 
tional churches  of  Italy.  There  was  some  talk  when  I  left  of  calling  this 
meeting  the  Alliance;  but  whatever  the  name  of  it  may  be,  the  tenden- 
cies of  this  movement  are  distinctively  Congregational.  You  may  hear 
through  Presbyterian  and  Church  of  England  channels,  these  churches 
stigmatized  as  Plymouthists.  The  Plymouthists,  as  you  may  know,  do 
not  recognize  a  ministry.  Their  ministers  are  tradesmen  or  mechanics 
during  the  week,  who  go  into  the  pulpit  on  Sunday.  These  men  in  Italy 
are  not  Plymouthists;  for  there  evangelists  are  set  apart  to  preach  to 
them,  and  nothing  would  more  fully  meet  their  feelings  and  principles  than 
the  establishment  of  a  theologic^  seminary  for  the  training  of  an  effi- 
cient ministry. 

Again,  these  are  not  independent  churches;  but  in  all  matters  which 
concern  the  brotherhood  of  churches  the/  co-operate  with  one  another. 
They  recognize  this  to  be  a  duty  as  fully  as  we  do.  Again,  they  are  not 
Presbyterians,  because  this  mutual  government  is  only  advisory  in  its 
nature.  They  plant  themselves  on  the  Congregational  principle  that  sov- 
ereignty in  the  church  as  well  as  in  the  State  is  vested  in  the  people  and 
can  not  be  delegated  by  them  to  a  synod,  any  more  than  it  can  be  usurped 
by  a  hierarchy  of  priests.  Thus  those  free  Italian  churches  are  distinctly 
Congregational 

With  regard  to  the  extent  of  this  movement  and  its  power,  I  am  justi- 
fied in  saying  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  that  the  Christian 
world  has  ever  seen.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  popular  movement  It  is 
not  carried  on  by  the  influence  of  a  few  individual  minds,  but  it  is  rather 
the  flowing  together  of  many  individual  currents  of  thought  and  feeling 
forced  out  of  the  hearts  of  the  people  by  the  fear  of  papal  oppression. 
It  is  not  an  intellectual  movement.  No  new  statement,  as  to  doctrine, 
has  been  brought  out  by  it  It  is  not  a  sentimental  phenomenon, 
resulting  from  extensive  revivals.  But  it  is  a  determination  on  the  part 
of  a  priest-ridden  people,  that  they  will  have  their  rights,  that  they  will 
throw  ofi*  for  ever  the  power  of  priestcraft,  that  they  will  have  the  Bible 
in  their  own  hands,  and  interpret  it  with  their  own  minds,  and  govern 
themselves  according  to  its  precepts. 

Hence  this  movement  is  popular.  It  is  a  favorite  with  the  people  and 
spreads  among  them  with  great  rapidity  and  power.  In  the  city  of 
Milan,  there  is  at  the  present  time  a  church  of  fifteen  hundred  members, 
as  good  Congregationalists  as  we  are.  And  in  Bologna,  Cologne,  and 
other  cities  of  Northern  Italy,  are  churches  already  founded  and  estab- 
lished upon  this  basis.  We  only  need  men  and  means  to  establish  a 
Congregational  church  in  every  city  and  town  in  that  land.  Let  me  say 
here  that  this  movement  is  especially  popular  with  the  middle  classes, 
the  working  men  of  Italy. 

With  regard  to  the  spiritual  power  of  this  movement,  it  is  strong  and 
full,  because  it  is  a  movement  with  the  Bible  in  hand.    At  a  meeting 


840  FREE  ITALIAN    CHURCH. 

which  I  attended  a  few  weeks  ago  in  the  city  of  Milan,  I  was  stmck  with 
the  fact  that  almost  every  person  present  had  a  well-worn  copy  of  the 
Bible;  and  whenever  a  quotation  was  made  from  the  Scriptures,  every 
one  at  once  found  the  passage  in  his  own  book.  They  seemed  to  be 
unwilling  to  take  anything  from  the  lips  of  a  preacher,  without  confirm- 
ing it  by  the  word  of  God. 

I  asked  whether  the  members  of  these  churches  were  spiritually  con- 
verted men  in  every  sense  of  the  word;  and  was  assured  that  they  were. 
In  that  respect  they  differ  from  the  Waldensians,  and  the  other  church; 
for  those  churches  are  national  institutions,  and  multitudinous.  Every- 
body belongs  to  a  church  there,  either  Catholic  or  Protestant;  and  par- 
takes of  the  communion  once  a  year  for  the  sake  of  securing  his  civil 
rights.  But  in  these  churches,  it  is  not  enough  for  a  man  to  hate  the 
pope  and  priests;  he  must  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  he  can  not 
be  a  member  of  the  church. 

When  we  look  at  this  movement,  thus  spontaneous  and  national  in  its 
character,  we  are  struck  with*  this  fact,  that  these  people,  left  to  them- 
selves, in  their  reaction  against  the  power  of  papacy,  and  taking  the 
Bible  in  their  own  hands  to  be  governed  by  its  precepts,  naturally  come 
down  into  Congregationalism;  and  we  have  every  reason  to  believe  that 
they  will  be  true  to  the  Congregational  principles  upon  which  they  now 
stand. 

It  is  in  this  movement  that  lie  our  strongest  hopes  for  the  regenera- 
tion of  Italy.  When  we  contrast  this  movement  with  the  other  agencies 
at  work  there,  we  shall  see  this  more  clearly.  When  Italy  was  first 
thrown  open  to  the  gospel,  many  agencies  went  to  work  to  plant  the 
Bible  throughout  the  country.  These  agencies  are  all  of  them  feeble, 
and  to  a  certain  extent  they  operate  against  one  another.  The  Wesleyans 
try  to  bring  in  their  own  peculiarities  and  force  them  upon  the  Italian 
people.  The  Episcopalians  try  to  force  upon  them  the  sine  qtia  non  of  a 
prayer-book.  The  Waldensians  must  bring  everything  under  the  con- 
trol of  their  synod.  These  different  agencies  have  done  an  immense 
amount  of  good;  and  yet  there  is  a  want  in  the  hearts  of  the  Italian 
people  which  they  have  not  reached.  The  Italians  do  not  want  to  be 
Wesleyans,  Church  of  England  people,  Scotch  Piresbyterians,  or  Wal- 
densians. They  want  to  be  Italians;  to  preserve  their  own  national 
peculiarities,  and  not  accept  any  of  those  foreign  peculiarities  which  these 
agencies  have  tried  to  bring  upon  them.  Thus  this  movement  has  come 
out  of  the  free  hearts  of  the  people,  —  a  free  Italian  church,  a  Congrega- 
tional church;  and  it  is  upon  this  movement  that  the  people  everywhere 
rely. 

Now,  I  love  the  Waldensians.  You  all  love  them.  You  know  their 
history.  There  is  a  romance  about  them;  and  in  their  historic  antiquity, 
there  is  something  that  satisfies  the  cravings  of  many  of  the  Italians  them-^ 
selves.  But  after  all,  these  Italian  Congregationalists,  in  their  reaction 
against  Papacy,  go  back  of  the  question  of  historic  legitimacy,  as  they 
are  bound  to  do.  They  fall  back  upon  the  archaic  principle  that  the 
government  of  the  church  belongs  to  the  members  of  the  church;  that 


BOOKS   AND  TRACTS.  841 

the  servants  of  Christ  are  to  reign  priests  and  kings  with  him;  not  the 
clergy  with  gowns  and  bands,  but  all  the  members  of  the  church.  This 
is  the  principle.  It  is  older  than  the  apostles.  It  is  as  old  as  creation. 
Men  fell  from  it  in  Adam,  and  were  restored  to  it  in  Christ  And  although 
the  seed  long  slumbered  in  the  ground,  it  has  at  last  become  a  tree  with 
healing  in  its  leaves  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  [The  allotted  time 
here  expired.] 

The  report  was  accepted,  and  the  accompanying  resolutions 
were  adopted. 

BOOKS  Al^D  TRACTS. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut,  from  the  committee  on  Books 
and  Tracts,  read  the  following  report :  — 

The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  subject  of  the  relation  of  our 
denomination  to  Books  and  Tracts  respectfully  report : 

They  have  considered  the  subject  in  the  following  order:  I.  What  are 
the  existing  relations  of  the  denomination  to  literature  ?  11.  What  are 
the  disadvantages  of  the  present  order  of  things?  III.  What  measures, 
if  any,  may  wisely  be  introduced  to  obviate  these  disadvantages? 

I.  The  Congregational  churches,  in  all  systematic  operations  by  means  , 
of  books,  stand  practically  related  to  literature  mainly  through  six  differ- 
ent book-manufacturing  and  book-selling  corporations;  namely,  1.  The 
American  Bible  Society.  2.  The  American  Tract  Society,  Boston.  3.  The 
American  Tract  Society,  New  York.  4.  The  American  Sunday  School 
Union.  6.  The  Massachusetts  Sabbath  School  Society.  6.  The  Congre- 
gational Board  of  Publication. 

Our  method  of  operation  through  these  corporations  is  simply  this:  to 
pay  our  charitable  contributions  (amounting  to  a  very  large  sum  annu- 
ally) to  the  treasuries  of  these  corporations,  by  which  they  are  expended, 
partly  in  the  preparation  of  stereotype  plates  and  the  manufacture  of 
books;  partly  in  the  donation  of  books  to  missionary  societies,  churches, 
Sunday  schools,  and  other  distributing  agencies  independent  of  the  pub- 
lishing societies;  and  partly  in  the  maintenance  of  a  system  of  book- 
selling or  distribution,  through  depositories  or  colporters,  by  the  publish- 
ing societies  themselves.  But  our  contributions  for  doing  good  by  the 
circulation  of  good  literature  all  pass  through  the  hands,  and  are  sub- 
jected to  the  discretion,  of  those  concerned  in  the  manufacture  and  sale 
of  books,  and  are  necessarily  more  or  less  complicated  with  their  busi- 
ness arrangements. 

II.  Disadvantages  of  our  present  metJiod,  1.  Literary  and  MoraL  2. 
Economical. 

1.  The  literary  and  moral  disadvantages  of  our  present  method  of  ben- 
evolent operation  by  means  of  books  may  be  stated  briefly  thus:  that  it 
shuts  us  up  almost  wholly  to  the  use  of  the  books  issued  by  the  societies 
which  are  the  recipients  of  our  contributions.  The  narrow  classes  of  liter- 
atnro,  to  which  we  have  been  thus  disastrously  restricted,  may  be  thus 
defined:    (1.)  A  negative  religious  literature,  from  which  all  character- 


342  BOOKS   AND  TRACTS. 

I 

iBtlcs  of  any  individual  or  party  have  been  scrupulously  eliminated.  (2.) 
A  merely  sectarian  literature.  And  even  within  these  very  narrow  lim- 
its we  have  had  no  access  in  our  benevolent  operations  to  the  general 
field  of  such  literature,  but  have  been  debarred  from  the  publications 
of  all  private  firms,  and  of  societies  other  than  those  through  which  we 
hftve  operated. 

Some  of  the  sorts  of  literature  from  the  public  use  of  which  we  have 
thus  suffered  ourselves  to  be  excluded  are  these:  (1.)  Christian  secular 
literature.  For  certain  religious  and  philanthrophic  uses,  —  as  for  in- 
stance, for  ship,  and  garrison,  and  hospital  libraries,  —  an  exclusively 
religious  literature  is  inadequate.  (2.)  Generally  the  works  of  men 
characterized  by  the  highest  force  and  originality,  whose  writings  cannot, 
without  an  excess  of  mutilation,  be  brought  within  the  prescribed  limits 
of  the  publishing  societies,  whether  on  the  denominational,  or  on  the 
"  catholic,"  basis.  (3.)  The  works  of  good  men  of  other  denominations 
which  are  marked  by  any  of  their  denominational  peculiarities.  (4.)  The 
books  from  the  publication  of  which  our  own  societies  have  been  fore- 
stalled by  the  activity  of  other  societies  or  private  firms,  or  from  which 
they  are  debarred  by  copyright;  and  this  class  includes  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  best  productions  of  our  own  time  and  country. 

It  can  not  be  doubted  that  one  of  the  most  serious  disabilities  with 
which  Puritan  principles  have  been  crippled  in  their  progress  has  been 
the  bondage  under  which  they  have  been  placed  to  publishing  societies, 
and  especially  to  those  which  have  been  constructed  on  that  fallacious 
"  catholic  basis,"  which  presumes  that  the  condition  of  Christian  union 
is  the  repression  of  individual  convictions. 

At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  considered  that  in  some  cases,  being  de- 
barred from  the  use  of  the  best  literature,  we  have  been  paying  lavishly 
for  the  circulation  of  much  that  is  second-rate  or  third-rate.  .  It  is  es- 
pecially true  in  the  case  of  the  old  publication  societies,  the  New  York 
American  Tract  Society,  and  the  American  Sunday  School  Union,  that 
their  catalogues  are  cumbered  with  many  works  proved  to  be  unsalable, 
or  grown  obsolete  and  superseded  by  better  works  on  the  same  subject, 
which,  nevertheless  (the  stereotype  plates  being  on  hand),  continue  to  be 
manufactured,  because,  although  they  can  not  be  sold,  they  can  be  given 
away  at  the  expense  of  the  churches. 

It  is  by  no  means  the  least  of  our  present  moral  disadvantages  in  this 
matter,  that  the  essential  and  recognized  inadequacy  of  the  system  of 
publishing  societies  to  supply  the  books  needed,  especially  for  Sunday- 
school  libraries,  has  brought  in  among  us  a  mixed  multitude  of  books 
that  have  passed  no  responsible  revision,  and  from  which  the  majority  of 
purchasers  have  no  means  of  making  wise  selection.  The  mixture  of 
pernicious  books  in  Sunday-school  libraries  is  a  grievous  evil,  to  which 
our  present  arrangements  afford  no  remedy. 

2.  Economical  Disadvantages  of  out  present  system. 

It  is  theoretically  bad  economy  to  intrust  large  sums  of  money  for  the 
purchase  and  distribution  of  goods  to  the  discretion  of  the  same  concern, 
which  manfactures  the  goods  and  keeps  them  for  sale.    Theoretically^  it 


BOOKS   AND  TRACTS.  848 

would  be  better  that  if  various  concerns,  public  or  private,  have  under- 
taken to  produce  good  books  and  tracts,  and  offer  them  for  sale,  the 
charitable  gifts  of  the  public  should  go  into  the  hands,  not  of  these  inter- 
ested parties,  but  of  other  and  disinterested  parties,  who  shall  expend 
them  wherever  they  can  get  the  best  books  for  the  least  money. 

We  should  not  press  this  theoretical  point  against  a  system  which,  on 
the  whole,  was  found  to  work  well.  But,  in  fact,  the  very  evils  which 
might  have  been  predicted  from  this  system  are  widely  believed  to  exist. 
This  evil,  certainly,  has  occurred,  —  that  in  consequence  of  their  double 
position,  as  being  at  once  the  buyers  and  the  sellers,  the  publishing  so- 
cieties have  been  subjected  to  constantly  renewed  suspicions,  which,  how- 
ever undeserved,  have  been  to  them  an  annoyance  and  a  hindrance.  If 
they  had  been  either  buyers  only,  to  give  away,  or  manufacturers  only,  to 
sell,  they  would  have  escaped  these  imputations.  If  our  donations  had 
been  intrusted  to  disinterested  parties,  with  liberty  to  go  into  open  mar- 
ket for  the  goods,  they  would  have  brought  to  bear  on  these  various  man- 
ufacturing corporations  the  healthful  influence  of  competition,  both  with 
each  other  and  with  private  enterprise.  Private  booksellers  have  constant- 
ly declared,  that,  if  they  were  allowed  equitably  to  compete  with  charitable 
corporations,  they  could  undersell  them.  There  could  be  no  imaginable 
loss  or  disadvantage  to  the  Christian  public  in  giving  them  the  chance. 

3.  What  measures^  if  any,  may  he  wisely  introduced  to  obviate  existing 
disadvantages  ? 

We  will  not  undertake,  in  this  place,  to  lay  out  the  details  of  a  better 
system  than  the  present  What  we  want  is  some  arrangement  by  which 
the  church  may  reach  forth  her  hand  into  every  department  of  literature, 
and  take  the  best  books  for  her  use,  and  place  them  wherever  they  are 
needed,  distributing  mainly  by  the  hands  of  her  servante,  as  an  incident  in 
the  main  work  of  spreading  the  gospeL  Such  an  arrangement  we  do  not 
believe  to  be  beyond  the  wit  of  man.  It  would  require  a  board  of  Chris- 
tian scholars  and  critics,  who  should  thoroughly  winnow  the  vast  mass 
of  books  and  tracts  that  are  offered  to  the  public  by  societies  of  every 
sort  and  sect,  and  by  private  firms,  and  present  the  public  with  a  new 
catalogue,  made  up  only  from  the  best  among  them  all;  and  a  board  of 
capable  business-men,  who  should  see  that  the  alms  of  the  churches  were 
not  spent  to  disadvantage,  and  who  should  undertake  to  apply  donations 
according  to  the  intent  of  the  donors.  It  would  be  a  simple  and  inexpen- 
sive institution. 

The  committee  take  pleasjare  in  announcing  the  fact,  that  these  consid- 
erations have  been  for  some  time  before  the  minds  of  some  of  the  best 
and  wisest  men  in  the  country,  and  that  preliminary  steps  have  already 
been  taken,  under  the  auspices  of  President  Woolsey,  of  Yale  College, 
President  Hopkins,  of  Williams  College,  and  others,  which,  it  is  hoped, 
will  result  in  supplying  this  desideratum. 

(Signed)  H.  W.  Beecher, 

Leonard  Bacon, 
Lowell  Mason,  Jb. 


844  DECLARATION    OF   FAITH. 

Bev.  Dr.  Bacon,  remarked,  while  reading  the  above:  The  chairman 
of  the  committee  (Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher)  stated  to  me  that  be 
found,  a  year  or  two  after  his  settlement  in  Plymouth  Church,  Brooklyn, 
that  in  the  Simday-school  library  they  had  complete  sets  of  the  works  of 
Captain  Marryat  and  of  Bulwer's  novels.  I  told  him  that  if  he  were  to 
make  that  statement  here,  there'  would  be  surprise,  first,  at  the  books 
being  there,  and  second,  at  his  having  objected  to  them.    [Laughter.] 

Hon.  Mr.  BLammond,  of  Blinois.  Will  you  tell  us  what  reply  he 
made  ? 

Bev.  Dr.  Bacon.  I  think  I  had  better  not  say.  He  intimated  that 
he  had  not  so  much  objection  to  them  as  I  thought  he  ought  to  have 
had. 

The  report  was  accepted. 

The  question  being  upon  the  adoption  of  the  accompanying 
resolution,  several  members  objected  to  it,  especially  upon  the 
ground  that  it  was  indefinite  and  incomprehensible. 

The  Moderator.  (Hon.  C.  G.  Hammond  in  the  chair.)  If  the  res- 
olution were  omitted,  the  report  would  go  to  the  churches  for  what  it  was 
worth. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts,  the  resolu- 
tion was  stricken  out. 
The  report  was  then  adopted^ 

DECLABATION  OF  FAITH. 

Rev.  J.  0.  Piske,  of  Bath,  Maine,  chairman  of  the  committee 
to  whom  was  referred  tlie  report  of  the  preliminary  committee 
on  a  Declaration  of  Faith,  read  the  following  report :  — 

PRKLDfllVABT    REMARK. 

The  committee,  on  presenting  the  following  report  to  the  Council,  regret 
that  time  and  circumstances  would  not  allow  them  to  prepare  a  condensed 
statement  of  the  doctrines  held  by  our  denomination.  We  desire  it  to 
be  distinctly  understood  that  the  brief  confession  of  the  faith  which  we 
hold  in  concert  with  the  great  body  of  believers,  is  in  no  sense  designed 
to  be  regarded  as  a  creed  for  our  churches. 

BEPORT. 

When  the  churches  of  New  England  assembled  in  a  general  synod 
at  Cambridge,  in  1648,  they  declared  their  assent, "  for  the  substance 
thereof,"  to  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith.  When,  again,  these 
churches  convened  in  a  general  synod  at  Boston,  in  1680,  they  declared 
their  approval  (with  slight  verbal  alterations)  of  the  doctrinal  symbol 


DECLARATION   OF   FAITH.  345 

adopted  by  a  BjDod  of  the  Congregational  churches  in  England,  at  Lon- 
don, in  1658,  and  known  as  the  "  Savoy  Confession,"  which  in  doctrine  is 
almost  Identical  with  that  of  the  Westminster  Assembly.  And  yet 
again  when  the  churches  in  Connecticut  met  in  council  at  Saybrook,  in 
1708,  they  "  owned  and  consented  to  "  the  Savoy  Confession  as  adopted 
at  Boston,  and  offered  this  as  a  public  symbol  of  their  faith. 

Thus,  from  the  beginning  of  their  history,  the  Congregational  churches 
in  the  United  States  have  been  allied  in  doctrine  with  the  Reformed 
churches  of  Europe,  and  especially  of  Great  Britain.  The  eighth  article 
of  the  "  Heads  of  Agreement,"  established  by  the  Congregational  and 
Presbyterian  ministers  in  England  in  1692,  and  adopted  at  Saybrook  in 
1708,  defines  this  position  in  these  words:  ''As  to  what  appertains  to 
soundness  of  judgment  in  matters  of  faith,  we  esteem  it  sufficient  that  a 
church  acknowledge  the  Scriptures  to  be  the  word  of  God,  the  perfect 
and  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  own  either  the  doctrinal  part  of 
those  commonly  called  the  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  or  the 
Confessions  or  Catechisms,  shorter  or  larger,  compiled  by  the  Assembly 
at  Westminster,  or  the  Confession  agreed  on  at  the  Savoy,  to  be  agreeable 
to  the  said  rule." 

In  conformity,  therefore,  with  the  usage  of  previous  councils,  we,  the 
elders  and  messengers  of  the  Congregational  churches  in  the  United 
States,  do  now  profess  our  adherence  to  the  above-named  Westminster 
and  Savoy  Confessions  for  "  substance  of  doctrine."  We  thus  declare  our^ 
acceptance  of  the  system  of  truths  which  is  commonly  known  among  us 
as  Calvinism,  and  which  is  distinguished  from  other  systems  by  so  exalt- 
ing the  sovereignty  of  God  as  to  "  establish  "  rather  than  take  away  the 
"  liberty  "  or  free-agency  of  man,  and  by  so  exhibiting  the  entire  charac- 
ter of  God  as  to  show  most  clearly  "  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin."      -i 

At  the  same  time  we  re-affirm  the  iundamental  principle  of  Congrega- 
tionalism, that  the  Bible  is  ''  the  only  sufficient  and  invariable  rule  of 
religion;  "^  that,  in  order  to  attain  a  faith  which  is  ''  right  and  divine,  the 
word  of  God  must  be  the  foundation  of  it,  and  the  authority  of  the  word 
the  reason  of  it."  *  We  "  ought  to  account  nothing  ancient  that  will  not 
stand  by  this  rule,  and  nothing  new  that  wHl."  *  *'  It  was  the  glory  of 
our  fathers,  that  they  heartily  professed  the  only  rule  of  their  religion, 
from  the  very  first,  to  be  the  Holy  Scripture."  * 

Besides  thus  expressing  the  faith  which  we  hold  as  a  denomination,  we 
deem  the  present  a  fit  occasion  to  express  the  earnestness  of  our  sympa^ 
thy  with  all  those  Christian  churches  who  are  agreed  with  us  in  the  essen- 
tial truths  of  the  gospel;  especially  as  our  conmion  faith  is  now  assailed 
by  popular  and  destructive  forms  of  unbelief,  which  deny  the  living  and 
personal  God,  which  reject  the  possibility  of  a  supernatural  revelation 
by  Jesus  Christ,  which  exclude  the  fact  of  sin  and  the  hope  of  redemp- 
tion. 

Against  these  dangerous  errors,  we,  in  common  with  all  Christian 
believers  confess  our  faith  in  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 

1  Pre&ee  to  the  SaToy  Con&Mkm  m  adopted  at  Saylnodk  In  1706. 


!<■ 


846  DECLARATION   OF   FAITH. 

Ghost,  the  only  Hying  and  true  God;  in  Jesus  Christ  the  incarnate  Word, 
who  is  exalted  to  be  our  Redeemer  and  King;  and  in  the  Holy  Comforter, 
who  is  present  in  the  church  to  regenerate  and  sanctify  the  souL 

With  the  whole  church,  we  confess  the  common  sinfulness  and  ruin  of 
our  race,  and  acknowledge  that  it  is  only  through  the  work  accomplished 
by  the  life  and  expiatory  death  of  Christ  that  we  are  justified  before 
God  and  receive  the  remission  of  sins;  and  that  it  is  through  the  presence 
and  grace  of  the  Holy  Comforter  alone  that  we  hope  to  be  delivered  from 
the  power  of  sin  and  to  be  perfected  in  holiness. 

We  believe  also  in  the  organized  and  visible  church,  in  the  ministry  of 
the  word,  in  the  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  in  the  final  judgment,  the  issues  of  which 
are  eternal  life  and  everlasting  punishment. 

We  receive  these  truths  on  the  testimony  of  God,  given  originally 
through  prophets  and  apostles,  and  in  the  life,  the  miracles,  the  death,  the 
resurrection  of  his  Son  our  divine  Redeemer.  This  testimony  is  pre- 
served for  the  church  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
which  were  composed  by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

We  affirm  our  belief  that  those  who  thus  hold  "  one  faith,  one  Lord, 
one  baptism,"  together  constitute  the  one  catholic  church,  the  several 
households  of  which,  though  called  by  different  names,  are  the  one  body 
of  Christ;  and  that  these  members  of  his  body  are  sacredly  bound  to 
keep  "  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,"  and  to  dwell  together 
in  the  same  community  in  harmony  and  mutual  fellowship. 

We  hold  it  to  be  a  distinctive  excellence  of  our  Congregational  system 
that  it  exalts  that  which  is  more,  above  that  which  is  less,  important,  and 
by  the  simplicity  of  its  organization  facilitates,  in  communities  where 
the  population  is  limited,  the  union  of  all  true  believers  in  one  Christian 
church ;  and  that  the  division  of  such  communities  into  several  weak  and 
jealous  societies,  holding  the  same  common  faith,  is  a  sin  against  the 
unity  of  the  body  of  Chi'ist,  and  at  once  the  shame  and  scandal  of 
Christendom. 

We  bless  the  God  of  our  fathers  for  the  inheritance  of  these  doctrines 
which  have  been  transmitted  to  us  their  children.  We  invoke  the  help 
of  the  divine  Redeemer,  that,  through  the  presence  of  the  promised  Com- 
forter, he  will  enable  us  to  transmit  them  in  purity  to  our  children.  We 
rejoice,  that,  through  the  influence  of  our  free  s}  stem  of  apostolic  order, 
we  can  hold  fellowship  with  all  who  acknowledge  Christ,  and  act  effi- 
ciently in  the  work  of  restoring  unity  to  the  divided  church,  and  of 
bringing  back  harmony  and  peace  among  all  '*  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity." 

We  believe  that  these  truths  and  this  free  spirit  have  blessed  our  coun- 
try in  the  past,  that  they  have  made  New  England  what  she  is  in  the 
present,  and  have  carried  her  principles,  by  other  denominations  as  well 
as  our  own,  throughout  the  Union,  while,  in  our  recent  struggle,  they 
have  largely  contributed  to  redeem  and  save  the  nation. 

In  the  critical  times  that  are  before  us  as  a  nation,  times  at  once  of 


DECLARATION    OF   FAITH.  347 

duty  and  of  danger,  we  rest  all  our  hope  in  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God. 
It  was  the  grand  peculiarity  of  our  Puritan  Fathers,  that  they  held 
this  gospel,  not  merely  as  the  ground  of  their  personal  salvation,  but  as 
declaring  the  worth  of  man  by  the  incarnation  and  sacrifice  of  the  Son 
of  God;  and  therefore  applied  its  principles  to  elevate  society,  to  regu- 
late education,  to  civilize  humanity,  to  purify  law,  to  reform  the  chm-ch 
and  the  State,  to  assert,  to  defend,  and  to  die  for  liberty;  in  short,  to 
mold  and  redeem  by  its  all-transforming  energy  everything  that  belongs 
to  man  in  his  individual  and  social  relations. 

It  was  the  faith  of  our  fathers  that  gave  us  this  free  land  in  which  we 
dwfell.  It  is  by  this  faith  only  that  we  can  transmit  it  to  our  children,  a 
free  and  happy,  because  a  Christian  commonwealth. 

We  acknowledge  the  duty  that  is  laid  upon  us  by  the  Redeemer  to 
carry  this  gospel  into  every  part  of  this  land  and  to  all  nations,  and 
to  teach  all  men  the  things  which  he  has  commanded  us  to  observe  and  to 
do.  May  He  to  whom  all  "  power  is  given  in  heaven  and  in  earth  " 
fulfill  the  promise  which  is  all  our  hope:  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even 
to  the  end  of  the  world."  To  him  be  praise  in  the  church  for  ever, 
Amen. 

For  the  Committee, 

JOHK  O.  FISKE,  Chairman. 

The  report  was  accepted. 
Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  moved  its  adoption. 
Rev.  Mr.  Balkam,  of  Maine,  moved  to  substitute  the  original 
paper,  read  by  Rev.  Dr.  Thompson. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  Kew  York.  I  hope  that  amendment  will  not 
prevail.  I  will  give  you  my  opinion  on  that  subject  in  a  very  few  words. 
Notwithstanding  the  services  rendered  by  Dr.  Lawrence  in  prepaiing 
the  report  for  the  committee,  that  report  cost  us  no  little  thought  and 
labor  and  care.  But  I  am  sure  that  I  speak  the  sentiments  of  my  breth- 
ren upon  the  committee,  as  well  as  my  own,  when  I  say  that  we  have  not 
the  least  personal  desire  that  that  particular  document  which  we  pre- 
pared should  be  adopted  by  this  body  in  preference  to  any  other.  Our 
aim  in  the  preparation  of  that  document  was,  not  to  bring  forward  our 
own  opinions  specifically,  and  to  urge  them  upon  any  body,  but  to  pre- 
pare, as  we  were  instructed  to  do,  a  declaration  of  t^e  faith  commonly 
received  among  our  churches.  And  we  met  and  prepared  that  declaration 
upon  a  basis  which,  by  anticipation,  might  be  acceptable  to  the  great  and 
most  respectable  body  of  brethren  and  fathers  who  would  be  here  con- 
vened. 

I  have  given  this  but  a  hasty  reading  here,  but  it  strikes  me  as,  in  sev- 
eral particulars,  a  decided  improvement  upon  the  document  which  I  had 
the  honor,  as  chairman'  of  the  other  committee^  to  submit.  It  is  based 
upon  the  same  general  principle;  and  I  am  sure  that  we  can  agree  to  a 
declaration  of  faith  upon  no  other  principle.  We  canvassed  that  matter 
so  thoroughly,  I  am  sure  we  were  not  mistaken.    We  said,  The  Council 


848  DECLARATION    OF   FAITH. 

maj  do  as  they  please  with  the  words,  but  they  must  come  back  to  the 
two  essential  ideas:  maintaining  the  historic  unity  of  our  body  in  that 
grand  system  of  theology  which  has  been  the  life  of  our  churches  here, 
and  which  our  Western  brethren  need  to-day,  more  than  our  fathers 
needed  it  two  hundred  years  ago;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must,  in 
these  present  times,  reach  forth  widely  the  hand  of  fellowship  to  all  who 
love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  avoiding  any  offensive  statement  of  pecu- 
liarities of  doctrine.  We  prepared  our  paper  upon  that  principle,  with 
such  measure  of  wisdom  and  grace  —  and  we  humbly  thought  and  felt 
that  the  grace  of  God  was  with  us  —  as  was  vouchsafed  to  us. 

This  declaration  adheres  to  that  principle.  It  is  an  improvement  to 
place  it  in  the  form  of  confession,  "  We  believe,"  instead  of  the  abstract 
form  of  declaration  which  we  had  followed.  This  comes  from  practical 
gentlemen,  theological  professors,  and  not  from  such  speculative  gentle- 
men as  were  engaged  upon  the  other.  [Laughter.]  But  whatever  may 
be  the  verbal  comparison  we  may  institute  between  these  two  documents, 
the  fact  that  we  have  had  upon  the  committee  which  made  this  report,  a 
large  representative  body  of  pastors  and  deacons  of  all  schools  —  if  it  is 
worth  while  to  talk  of  schools  here;  I  do  not  belong  to  any  myself — and 
from  all  parts  of  the  country;  and  we  have  added  to  these  a  representa- 
tive from  every  one  of  our  theological  seminaries.  They  have  sat  upon 
this  document  carefully  and  prayerfully,  in  whole  committee  and  by  sub- 
commitee,  as  I  understand,  for  these  many  days;  for  which  they  largely 
deserve  the  thanks  of  this  Council;  and  some  of  us  know  how  tedious 
and  responsible  that  sort  of  work  is.  They  largely  deserve  thanks  from 
us  for  denying  themselves  the  pleasures  and  excitement  of  this  meeting 
to  attend  to  this  work.  Their  work  is  well  done,  and  I  should  be  very 
sorry,  although  I  acknowledge  the  complimentary  courtesy  of  the 
mover  of  this  amendment,  to  have  any  other  declaration  brought  up  here 
to  impede  the  passage  of  that  which  this  committee  have  to-day  reported 
to  us. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  I  should  not  have  risen  to  advocate 
any  motion  upon  this  subject,  had  I  not  felt  constrained,  at  an  earlier 
stage  of  our  proceedings,  to  offer  a  resolution  relative  to  this  general  sub- 
ject As  my  vote  will  rest  not  alone  upon  my  conviction  of  the  excel- 
lence of  the  declaration  now  submitted,  nor  alone  upon  my  conviction  of 
the  wisdom  of  issuing  such  a  declaration  by  this  Council,  I  can  not  ex- 
plain it  without  a  brief  recurrence  to  the  steps  by  which  the  Council  has 
been  brought  into  its  present  relations  to  this  subject;  and  I  think  the 
consideration  of  this  may  bring  those  who  have  not  been  in  favor  of  issu- 
ing any  declaration,  to  tlie  unanimous  conclusion  to  adopt  the  paper  be- 
fore us. 

The  preliminary  meeting  of  the  State  committees  in  "New  York,  sent, 
in  the  letters  missive  to  the  churches,  a  proposition,  that,  among  other 
topics,  we  consider  the  expediency  of  issuing  a  declaration  of  our  faith. 
So  far  as  the  Ohio  delegation  is  concerned,  and  I  suppose  it  is  true  of 
other  State  committees,  that  preliminary  meeting  was  authorized  to  call 
a  National  Council,  if  thought  advisable,  for  certain  speciffc  reasons,  of 


DECLARATION   OF    FAITH.  349 

which  this  was  not  one.  They  were  pleased,  however,  to  include  this 
in  their  letters  missive;  and  it  has  been  responded  to  by  all  the  churches, 
and  they  all  came  up  to  consider  the  expediency  of  issuing  such  a  declar- 
ation. 

The  paper  submitted  to  us  by  the  conmiittee  appointed  at  the  prelim- 
inary meeting  did  not  argue  that  question.  It  assumed  it.  The  whole 
paper  rested  upon  the  assumption  that  the  issuing  of  such  a  paper  was 
expedient.  There  were  considerations  bearing  upon  the  expediency  of 
the  thing,  wholly  irrespective  of  the  merits  of  any  paper  that  might  be 
presented  here.  We  could  not  do  what  was  asked  here,  without  taking 
that  question  into  account.  ThQ  committee  on  Church  polity  did  discuss 
it,  and  gave  reasons  in  favor  of  the  adoption  of  such  a  document  There- 
fore, under  the  rule  which  precluded  the  discussion  of  a  paper,  but  left 
us  entirely  free  to  instruct  a  committee,  I  moved  the  reference  to  a  com- 
mittee with  instructions. 

I  was  imderstood,  I  find,  by  more  than  one  in  favor  of  that  motion  for 
instructions,  to  argue  in  favor  of  a  certain  view  and  opinion  upon  the  gen- 
eral measure,  which  I  could  not  have  conscientiously  done,  because  I  had 
not,  at  that  time,  any  opinion  upon  the  general  subject  which  I  wished  to 
maintain  respecting  the  paper,  or  the  expediency  of  issuing  any  declara- 
tion. I  urged  that  the  committee  should  be  thus  instructed  for  the  valid 
reason,  that  this  topic  did  not  enter  into  the  original  conception  of  this 
Council;  that  it  was  one  upon  which  our  churches  were  traditionally  sen- 
sitive —  naturally  and  justly  so.  And,  if  we  accepted  the  issuing  of  the 
paper  as  a  foregone  conclusion,  without  considering  the  expediency  of  it, 
I  felt  that  the  result  would  not  be  satisfactory  to  the  churches.  But,  as 
able  a  committee  as  the  body  could  raise  have  taken  the  whole  subject 
under  advisement,  and  have  thought  it  expedient  to  issue  a  declaration, 
and  have  united  in  the  declaration  which  is  now  before  us.  My  individ- 
ual opinion  is,  that  the  faith  of  our  chmx^hes  never  stood  in  a  fairer  light 
before  the  world  than  at  the  time  this  Council  came  together;  and  that 
what  we  wanted  was  not  so  much  to  declare  our  faith,  as  to  prove  our 
faith  by  our  works,  —  making  more  account  of  the  fact  that  we  are 
Christians  than  of  the  fact  that  we  are  Congregationalists,  though  by  no 
means  overlooking  the  latter;  but  coming  together  as  members  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  to  occupy  the  field  which  the  providence  of  God  has 
given  to  us,  to  lay  our  plans  for  taking  possession  of  it  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  I  thought  it  desirable,  if  we  could,  to  come  together  as  a  National 
Council,  for  this  practical  work,  without  discussing  the  faith  and  polity 
of  the  churches;  because,  if  that  is  understood  to  be  the  work  of  a  Na- 
tional Council,  we  can  not  meet  oflener  than  once  in  a  century,  or,  per- 
haps, two  centuries;  while,  upon  the  other  plan,  we  might  secure  the 
benefit  of  occasional,  and,  perhaps,  stated  meetings  of  this  kind. 

But  whatever  may  have  been  my  opinion  originally  upon  the  question 
of  the  expediency  of  issuing  such  a  declaration,  I  certainly  think  we 
should  now  be  liable  to  grave  misconception,  if  we  should  fail  to  send 
one  forth  at  the  stage  which  the  matter  has  now  reached.  I  heartily  join 
in  the  adoption  of  the  paper  now  submitted,  although  I  regarded  the  ibr- 


850  DECLARATION   OF   FAITH. 

mer  paper  as  a  very  able  document,  and  could  have  voted  for  it  I  give  the 
preference  to  that  which  has  been  read  this  morning,  for  this  reason 
among  others,  that  I  observe  in  it  a  hearty  recognition  of  other  churches 
of  Christ,  churches  of  other  denominations;  and  I  feel  that  we  are  bound 
as  Congregationalists  to  recognize  as  true  churches  of  Christ  these  local 
companies  of  believers  connected,  according  to  their  own  ideas,  with  na- 
tional organizations  which  we  ignore.  To  the  churches  themselves,  as 
Christian  brethren,  we  ought  to  extend  the  right  hand  of  fellowship;  and 
as  far  as  permitted,  we  should  co-operate  with  them  in  our  work  of 
faith  and  labor  of  love. 

Rev.  Mr.  Balk  am,  of  Maine.  I  trust  that  this  Council  may  be  ex- 
pected to  vote  for  the  paper  which  it  prefers,  and  not  out  of  deference  to 
any  committee.  In  moving  the  adoption  of  Dr.  Thompson's  report,  I 
did  not  move  it  as  anything  complimentary  to  him,  or  to  the  committee 
of  which  he  was  chairman ;  but  because  I  preferred  his  report  and  be- 
lieved that  it  was  right,  and  that  it  expressed  in  a  remarkable  degree  the 
convictions  of  this  Council.  I  can  not  doubt  that  the  Council,  if  it  will 
follow  its  own  convictions,  will  prefer  the  first  report 

There  are  some  things  in  the  report  which  has  just  been  read  which  I 
like  very  much'  indeed.  I  thought  it  was  great  felicity  in  the  admirably 
conceived  and  admirably  expressed  report  of  Dr.  Thompson,  that  it  did 
pursue  what  it  characterizes  as  the  abstract  form;  that  it  did  not  say, 
"  We  believe."  I  thought  the  Congregational  churches  were  indepen- 
dent churches,  and  were  jealous  of  having  any  council,  even  a  national 
council,  prescribe  forms  of  faith  to  them.  I  thought  this  original  report 
very  ingeniously  avoided  any  objection  of  that  kind,  by  saying,  "  We 
bear  testimony  to  these  doctrines;  we  do  not  prescribe  them;  we  do  not 
enjoin  them  upon  anybody;  but  this  Council,  an  assembled  body  of 
Christians,  meeting  in  Boston,  begs  leave  to  bear  its  testimony  so  and 
so."  I  submit  that  it  was  admirably  done;  and  if  the  Council  prefer  the 
original  report,  I  hope  they  will  adopt  it. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  It  is  with  regret  that  I  obtrude  any 
thought  of  mine  upon  the  Council  at  this  time;  but  I  feel  constrained,  — 
being  such  an  one  as  the  apostle  Peter  speaks  of  as  "  Paul  the  aged," 
for  I  am  a  little  of  an  old  man,  —  I  feel  constrained  to  say  a  few  words 
upon  the  subject  now  before  the  Council.  It  has  seemed  to  me  from  the 
beginning  that  the  whole  scheme  of  an  advance  and  aggressive  action  in 
this  country,  and  especially  of  our  aggressive  action  upon  the  States  re- 
covered from  the  late  rebellion,  is  dependent  upon  being  able  to  declare 
with  one  heart  and  one  voice  what  our  faith  is  —  what  is  our  united  faith 
as  a  Christian  body. 

I  must  say  here,  and  I  hope  I  may  be  found  to  be  in  error,  that  I  have 
had  some  apprehension  that  some  of  our  brethren  in  some  parts  of  the 
country  have  an  idea  of  Congregationalism  that  it  consists  in  believing 
nothing  in  particular.  I  remember  a  brother  who  read  here  yesterday, 
as  a  sufllcient  declaration  of  our  faith,  the  ancient  and  present  condition 
of  membership  in  our  churches.  We  all  of  us  hold,  I  trust,  that  every 
disciple  of  Christ,  however  weak  his  faith,  if  he  have  intelligence  enough 


DECLARATION    OF   FAITH.  851 

and  faith  enough  to  make  it  manifest  that  he  believes  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  trusts  in  him  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  and  intends  to  fol- 
low him,  has  a  right  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  and  be  recognized  as  a 
fellow-disciple,  and  be  a  member  of  any  of  our  churches.  , 

I  believe  all  our  schools,  so  far  as  we  have  any  schools,  are  agreed 
npon  this.  But  I  do  not  believe  that  a  professioi^  of  personal  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  it  ever  so  satisfactory,  is  a  sufficient  profes- 
sion of  faith  for  a  church  to  make  that  offers  itself  for  the  more  inti- 
mate commimion  and  fellowship  of  the  Congregational  churches;  nor  do 
I  believe  it  is  a  sufficient  profession  of  faith  for  a  man  to  make,  who,  at 
the  call  of  any  church,  is  presented  before  an  ecclesiastical  council  as  a 
candidate  for  ordination  for  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry.  I  believe 
that  for  the  Christian  ministry  we  are  to  require  also  a  general  declara- 
tion, not  simply  of  personal  faith  and  repentance,  —  repentance  toward 
God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — but  such  a  profession 
of  doctrinal  belief  as  shall  show  the  competence  of  the  man  rightly  to 
divide  the  word  of  truth. 

I  believe,  furthermore,  —  I  am  making  something  of  a  declaration  of 
faith  myself,  —  that  it  is  the  right  and  the  duty  of  any  such  body  of  rep- 
resentatives as  those  representing  the  Congregational  churches  of  the 
land,  to  stand  up,  and  with  one  heart  and  one  voice  to  say  what  we  be- 
lieve, —  what  we  unitedly  believe,  and  not  what  this  or  that  particular 
colleague  believes  or  would  like  to  have  other  people  believe;  not  what 
a  few  perhaps  would  like  to  impose  by  some  sort  of  force  or  coercion 
upon  people  that  do  not  believe  it,  but  what  we  ourselves  believe;  be- 
cause we  who  are  here  assembled  know  that,  one  and  all,  there  is  a  great 
body  of  Christian  doctrine  upon  which  we  are  unanimous;  not  unani- 
mous, perhaps,  in  any  possible  statement  of  it,  but  unanimous  as  to  the 
substance  of  it,  and  which  we  know  our  churches  hold  as  the  basis  of 
their  special  fellowship  and  communion,  and  co-operation  in  the  advance- 
ment of  the  kingdom  of  Christ 

We  are  not  Arminianists,  and  we  do  not  want  to  invite  the  body  of 
Arminian  clergy,  or  the  Arminian  Methodists,  to  come  in  and  be  as  one 
with  us.  We  should  fall  out  by  the  way  very  speedily.  But  I  am  will- 
ing and  desirous  to  make  such  a  declaration  of  our  common  faith  as 
shall  disarm  the  hereditary  prejudices  and  antipathies  of  other  bodies  of 
Christians,  and  show  them,  if  possible,  in  its  attractiveness  and  beauty 
and  power,  our  common  system  of  foith. 

There  is  this  difference  to  be  observed,  which  I  think  the  brother  who 
spoke  last  did  not  adequately  realize:  there  is  a  difference  between  a 
profession  of  faith  made,  and  a  confession  of  faith  imposed.  It  is  the 
history  of  Congregationalism  to  protest  everywhere  against  imposed 
confessions  of  faith.  I  protest  against  them  everywhere.  An  imposed 
prayer-book  1  protest  against.  An  imposed  confession  of  faith  I  protest 
against.  I  protest  against  that  entire  Presbyterian  system  of  imposing 
confessions  of  faith.  I  hold  it  to  be  not  only  inconsistent  with  the  high- 
est freedom  and  purity  of  the  churches,  but  actually  and  absolutely  de- 
moralizing. It  is  an  idol  set  up  in  the  church  of  Grod.  I  go  any  length  in 


852  DECLABATION    OF   FAITH. 

opposition  to  that  whole  system  of  imposed  confessions  of  faith  which  a 
man  docs  not  make  for  himself^  which  he  does  not  miderstand,  about 
which  judicatories  dispute  and  wrangle,  and  which  every  man,  under 
penalty  of  losing  his  living,  shall  swear  by,  through  thick  and  thin.  It 
is  an  idol,  and  contrary  to  the  second  commandment.    [Applause.] 

Let  me  make  my  own  profession  of  faith,  and  I  can  make  as  good  a 
one,  and,  if  need  be,  as  long  a  one,  as  anybody  else.  But  we  do  not  want 
to  make  a  long  profession  of  faith  here;  and  no  profession  of  faith  we 
may  make  can  by  any  possibility  be  imposed  upon  anybody.  No  pro- 
fession of  faith  we  may  make  can  bind  anybody's  conscience.  Surely, 
if  we  can  unite  in  adopting  a  report  like  that  placed  upon  your  records, 
we  can  unite  in  adopting  a  report  like  that  now  under  consideration. 
We  can  say  as  a  Christian  assembly,  as  a  representative  assembly  of 
Christian  pastors  and  messengers,  that  we  do  hold  in  substance  to  that 
^eat,  strong,  iron-ribbed  doctrine  which  was  the  common  faith  in  the 
Reformation;  which  has  come  down  from  Paul,  through  Augustine,  and 
Calvin,  and,  among  us,  through  Edwards  and  Hopkins.  We  can  say 
that  we  hold  the  substance  of  that;  not  that  we  swallow  the  whole  of 
Hopkins'  body  of  divinity  at  a  gulp;  not  that  we  swallow  even  Dwight's 
more  diluted  system  of  theology;  not  that  we  swallow  the  entire  West- 
minster Catechism,  in  every  angle  of  it, — but  the  great  body  of  the  doc- 
trine; and,  like  the  New  Orleans  minister,  we  will  hold  it,  though  we  die 
for  it. 

At  the  same  time  we  can  say,  as  this  last  report  says,  here  is  a  body 
of  doctrines  which  we  do  not  profess  to  be  peculiarly  ours,  but  which 
are  held  by  all  evangelical  Christians  with  whom  we  co-operate  or  desire 
to  co-operate,  which  we  hold  in  conunon  with  them.  I  hope  —  I  am  con- 
fident, that  when  the  question  is  put  to  this  Coimcil,  "  Will  you  accept 
this  report,  and  adopt  this  declaration  of  your  faith?  "  the  yea  will  be 
unanimous;  and  we  shall  unite,  as  the  Council  or  Synod  of  1^  united, 
in  an  anthem  of  praise  to  God  for  the  unanimity. 

Professor  Porter,  of  Yale  College.  I  rise  for  the  purpose  of  say- 
ing a  few  words  in  order  to  put  the  committee  right  with  reference  to 
the  previous  report,  and  also  to  express  the  view  taken  by  the  conmiit- 
tee  of  the  document  now  presented.  We  understood,  when  we  were 
called  together,  that  it  was  the  desire  of  the  Council  that  some  change 
should  be  made;  and  we  have  acted  under  that  impression.  For  aught 
that  I  know,  every  individual  of  us  would  have  been  willing  to  accept 
the  declaration  reported  by  the  preliminary  committee.  I  certainly,  for 
one,  was  entirely  ready  to  receive  it.  We  acted  rather  as  the  servants 
of  the  Council  in  preparing  this  report  I  can  assure  you  that  we  did 
not  act  to  please  ourselves.  I  presume  that  not  a  single  individual  of 
the  committee  would  say  that  the  docimient  is  such  a  one  as  he  for  him- 
self would  have  prepared.  But  as  the  servants  of  the  Council,  we  de- 
sired to  construct  a  document  which  would  meet  the  varying  views  of 
the  representatives  of  2,500  or  3,000  churches.  We  accordingly  abridged 
the  historical  statement,  and  changed  in  form,  somewhat,  our  adherence 
to  the  old  coi^essions.    Then  it  seemed  desirable  that  we  should,  in  a 


DECLARATION    OF   FAITH.  853 

more  devotional  form,  —  in  the  form  of  a  confession,  —  express  the  com- 
mon faith  we  held  in  all  our  chm*ches,  at  a  time  when  the  common  foun- 
dations of  all  Christian  faith  were  openly  assailed  and  secretly  under- 
mined in  all  our  communities. 

With  reference  to  this  condition  of  things,  which  it  will  not  do  for  us 
to  ignore,  however  much  we  would  like  that  it  should  not  be,  we  thought 
it  proper  that  all  who  believe  with  us  should  confess  our  common  faith, 
in  a  personal  God,  in  a  God  incarnate,  in  a  Kedeejner,  —  the  great  truths 
without  which  Christianity  is  nothing,  and  the  church  itself  can  not  exist 
It  seemed  not  only  proper,  but  our  bounden  duty  so  to  do.  It  seemed 
desirable  to  do  it  in  somewhat  briefer  terms,  and  in  a  somewhat  different 
manner,  from  that  which  was  adopted  by  the  preliminary  committee. 

Then  it  seemed  desirable  to  confess  our  faith  concerning  the  church, — 
which  also  is  one  of  the  great  questions  of  our  times,  —  concerning  the 
church,  the  house  of  God.  There  is  in  all  our  communities  a  great 
moral  and  Christian  movement,  with  which  I  confess  I  sympathize, 
toward  the  restoration  of  the  divided  body  of  Christ  We  must  recog- 
nize that  movement.  We,  of  all  the  so-called  sects,  are  alone  prepared 
to  throw  ourselves  upon  it,  to  guide  it,  to  assert  our  vantage  with  respect 
to  it.  Congregationalism,  with  all  the  rigor  of  its  Calvinism,  with  all 
the  energy  of  its  theology,  with  all  the  directness  and  manliness  of  its 
piety,  is  yet  the  only  denomination  which  is  truly  in  its  principles  unsec- 
tarian.  So  was  it  from  the  beginning.  The  five  dissenting  brothers,  — 
among  whom  were  those  two  conspicuous  stars,  John  Owen  and  Thomas 
Goodwin, —  the  five  dissenting  brothers  in  the  Westminster  Assembly^ 
were  set  apart,  among  the  rest,  as  asserting  this  great  truth.  We  are 
true  to  our  traditions,  and  true  to  our  spirit  Acting  in  that  spirit,  we 
have  given  away  to  other  denominations  hundreds  upon  hundreds,  which, 
might  have  been  our  churches.  We  might  have  had  himdreds  more 
here  represented,  churches  which  are  now  Presbyterian,  if  it  had  not 
been  that  we  cared  more  for  the  gospel  than  we  cared  for  a  form  of  pol- 
ity.  This  it  seemed  right  to  assert,  to  assume  for  ourselves  this  vantage 
position,  and  place  it  before  the  world.  Our  order  is  apostolic,  and 
therefore  it  is  unsectarian. 

In  addition  it  seemed  proper  for  us  to  assert,  in  a  word  or  two,  the  fact 
which  is  notorious,  that  the  truths,  the  forms  in  which  we  have  held 
Christianity,  Calvinism,  has  been  eminently  favorable  to  the  reformation 
of  men.  The  Puritans,  who  pre-eminently  were  Congregationalists,  have 
held  Christian  truth  in  all  possible  applications  to  reform;  and  that  is  one 
of  our  peculiarities. 

These  are  the  special  points  which  you  will  find  expanded  in  this  dec- 
laration. It  seemed  desirable,  as  this  declaration  will  be  looked  at  with 
great  interest,  that  in  language  which  could  be  understood,  which  though 
condensed  might  be  followed,  we  should  express  our  faith  in  these  van- 
ous  aspects;  our  faith  as  Calvinists,  our  faith  as  unsectarian,  and  our 
faith  as  reforming  Puritans. 

Rev.  Prof.  Lawrence,  of  Connecticut.  I  stand  in  a  peculiar  relation 
to  the  motion  now  before  the  Council,  inasmuch  as  my  hand  was  in  the 

28 


854  DECLARATION   OF   FAITH. 

formation  of  the  first  report  made  to  this  body,  and  also  of  the  second. 
I  am  rather  a  father  to  both.  They  are  my  children,  and  I  am  ready  to 
recognize  that  relation.  ^  I  do  not  regard  them  exactly  in  the  light  of 
Esau  and  Jacob,  and  yet  I  have  a  decided  preference  for  the  younger.  I 
am  not  very  new-school  in  my  theology,  yet  I  prefer  this  because  it  is 
the  newest,  as  well  as  because  I  think  it  is  the  best.  It  propounds  some 
of  the  modern  issues  of  the  times  more  distinctly,  more  livingly,  and,  I 
am  persuaded,  more  satisfactorily  to  the  body,  and  to  the  whole  denomi- 
nation. I  like  both  the  reports  on  this  ground,  because  there  was  the 
old  and  the  new,  and  because  they  were  combined  in  one,  having  this 
attribute  of  our  holy  Scriptures,  an  Old  Testament  and  a  New  Testa- 
ment. It  should  be  remembered  that  our  fathers  have  fought  the  great 
battles  of  truth  and  freedom  on  the  basis  of  the  old.  Our  distinctive  de- 
nomination under  Calvin  obtained  deliverance  in  Geneva.  Cromwell  and 
the  Independents  of  Old  England  fought  against  the  Royalists  upon  this 
ground,  and  conquered.  Edwards,  in  the  last  century,  and  Hopkins  and 
Bellamy,  "  fought  it  out  on  this  line  "  to  victory.  In  the  opening  of  this 
century,  Morse  and  Worcester  and  Woods  and  Stuart  and  Beecher 
fought  Unitarianism  and  conquered,  as  we  believe,  though  the  victory  is 
claimed  on  the  other  side,  and  we  allow  them  the  victory.  Here  then 
in  this  Council,  after  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  and  a  little  more,  we 
resume  our  standing  upon  this  time-honored  ground  upon  which  our 
fathers  have  stood. 

Then  I  like  the  new,  because  we  have  defined  clearly  our  position  as  a 
denomination.  We  step  upon  the  high  platform  of  faith  with  the  other 
denominations,  and  we  invite  them  to  a  unity  of  faith  against  Romanism, 
Heathenism,  and  all  other  isms  that  assail  our  common  foundation.  I 
like  both  the  old  and  the  new.  I  like  both  my  children,  the  elder  and  the 
younger;  but  I  like  the  younger  better,  and  I  hope  this  Council  will 
adopt  it  and  make  it  its  own,  and  that  the  denomination  will  adopt  it  and 
make  it  its  own. 

Rev.  Mr.  Balkam,  of  Maine,  withdrew  his  motion  to  amend, 
'  and  the  question  recurred  upon  the  adoption  of  the  report  read 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Fiske. 

Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt,  of  New  York.  I  move  as  an  amendment  to  this 
document,  to  strike  out  from  the  third  paragraph  the  words  "  which  is 
commonly  known  among  us  as  Calvinism,"  &c.  I  make  this  motion, 
not  because  I  am  not  a  Calvinist,  as  the  word  is  generally  understood, 
for  I  am  so,  and  have  always  been  so.  I  am  so  firmly  a  Calvinist  that  I 
have  never  been  afraid  that  the  system  which  is  called  Calvinism  could 
not  stand  alone  and  take  care  of  itself  without  being  continually  dinned 
into  people's  ears  under  the  name  of  Calvinism.  The  historical  prelimi- 
nary statement  need  not  be  altered,  because  it  is  historically  true  that 
our  fathers  did  accept  those  confessions  of  faith  in  sul^stance  of  doctrine. 
It  is  also  true  that  they  have  always  adhered  to  those  systems  of  faith 
in  substance  of  doctrine.    But  by  allowing  the  denomination  to  be  char- 


DECLARATION    OF   FAITH.  355 

acterized  by  adhesion  to  those  confessions  of  faith,  we  have  lost  the  coun- 
try which  was  once  ours. 

Those  systems  of  faith  we  do  not  hold  as  systems.  As  systems  they 
were  devised  and  formed  for  organized  churches,  not  for  free  churches 
like  ours.  As  systems  they  are  characterized  by  qualities,  and  have 
been  the  cause  of  consequences  which  are  injurious,  which  are  deleteri- 
ous to  our  well  being  as  a  body  of  Christian  churches.  As  long  as  you 
persist  in  calling  yourselves  in  this  way;  characterizing  yourselves  as 
Calvinists,  which  you  are  not  in  the  sense  in  which  the  word  is  under- 
stood by  those  outside  of  ourselves,  so  long  you  have  the  whole  of  that 
system  of  faith  continually  thrown  in  your  teeth,  and  brought  up  for 
your  destruction.  While  this  is  true,  —  while  we  have  seen  our  congre- 
gations melting  away  from  under  us  by  the  use  which  has  been  made  of 
these  ancient,  worn-out,  obsolete  confessions, —  it  is  also  true  that  the  sys- 
tem of  doctrines  which  you  teach,  and  hold,  and  preach,  has  made  itself 
felt,  is  almost  openly  adopted,  is  certainly  realized  in  the  inmost  convic- 
tions of  large  bodies  of  those  who  consider  themselves  bound  by  their 
position  to  reject  the  name  of  Calvinism. 

I  am  familiar  with  ministers  and  members  of  Methodist  Churches,  and 
I  say  they  hold  this  system  of  doctrine,  the  greater  part  of  it,  as  tena- 
ciously and  as  intelligently  as  we  do  ourselves,  with  the  only  exception  of 
some  technical  terms,  and  the  name  of  Calvinism.  If  we  are  to  bring 
them  to  the  test  of  Calvinism,  they  can  not  come  to  us  without  a  greater 
strain  than  is  naturally  to  be  expected  from  poor  human  nature.  I  have 
known  instances  where  able  men,  and  better  preachers  than  the  average 
of  us  have  been  deterred  from  accepting  invitations  to  become  the  pas- 
tors of  our  churches,  simply  by  the  dread  of  the  scrutiny  and  screwing 
to  which  they  might  be  subjected  by  an  examining  council  to  see  wheth- 
er they  were  Calvinists  or  not. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.  I  wish  to  say  a  word  in  support  of  that 
motion,  not  upon  the  ground  upon  which  it  was  made  by  our  brother,  but 
upon  the  ground  that  our  Lord  Jesus  told  us  to  call  no  man  father. 

A  MEMBER.    Master. 

Dr.  Patton.  Master  and  father  both.  I  consider  it  a  great  blessing 
that  I  was  not  bom  in  the  Lutheran  denomination,  to  bear  all  my  life 
long  a  man's  name  in  connection  with  my  religion.  I  consider  it  a  hap- 
py thing  that  the  Congregationalists,  although  we  hold  the  substance  of 
his  doctrines,  do  not  bear  the  name  of  Calvin.  I  think  we  ought  to  avoid 
falling  into  that  snare  ;  and  while  we  retain  the  acknowledgment  of  the 
doctrines,  we  should  strike  out  the  human  name. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut.  I  give  my  hearty  concurrence  to 
the  two  brethren  who  have  just  spoken.  It  is  time  that  we  ceased  to  call 
ourselves  by  any  human  name.  Why  not  call  ourselves  Edwardians  as 
well  as  Calvinists.  We  propose  to  take  the  Bible  as  our  rule  of  faith,  in- 
stead of  Calvin.  It  is  customary  with  other  sects  to  put  horns  and  hoofs 
upon  Calvinism ;  and  if  we  adopt  the  name,  they  put  the  horns  and  hoofis 
upon  us  and  veritably  believe  they  belong  to  us. 

Rev,  Dr.  Sturtevant,  of  Illinois.    I  am  not  prepared  to  vote  for  this 


856  DECLARATION    OF    FAITH. 

document  unamended;  but  I  do  not  know  that  I  can  find  any  considerable 
number  to  sjrmpathize  with  my  views.  I  agree  with  Dr.  Bacon  entirely 
that  we  wish  to  propagate  all  over  our  country  and  the  world  a  great, 
unique,  definite  system.  I  have  no  misunderstanding  on  that  point  at  all; 
and  I  testify  for  all  my  western  brethren  that  they  think  so  too.  If  Dr. 
Bacon  or  any  other  man  supposes  that  there  'is  any  lukewarmness  on 
that  subject  at  the  West,  he  is  simply  mistaken. 

What  I  want  is,  that  if  we  are  to  have  any  declaration  of  doctrine  at 
all,  —  and  I  have  pretty  nearly  come  to  the  conclusion  that  we  ought  to 
have,  although  I  doubted  it  very  much  at  the  outset,  —  I  want  a  declara- 
tion of  doctrine  that  goes  the  whole  length  of  stating,  in  original  living 
words  of  our  own,  in  this  year  of  grace  18C5,  what  our  view  of  that  sys- 
tem is.  If  those  brethren  who  have  reported  this  document  will  take  the 
language  back  again,  and  put  their  heads,  and  their  hearts,  and  their 
prayers  at  work  for  six  months,  and  draw  up  for  us  such  a  document,  I 
will  come  from  my  home  to  another  meeting  of  this  Coimcil,  and  bear 
my  own  expenses,  that  we  may  have  such  a  document  as  will  actually 
express  the  faith  of  these  churches  here  and  now,  with  no  reference 
whatever  to  any  past  formula,  that  shall  be  the  Boston  Confession,  if 
you  please;  that  shall  be  the  sentiment  of  the  Congregational  churches 
in  the  year  1865,  in  words  of  their  owi^  choosing. 

One  word  more.  I  am  sorry  for  these  references  to  the  old  standards. 
I  do  not  know  how  many  will  agree  with  me  there.  I  will  tell  you  why 
I  am  sorry.  There  is  language  in  every  one  of  those  old  standards 
which  not  a  man  upon  this  floor  receives. 

A  MEMBER.    "  Substance  of  doctrine." 

Rev.  Dr.  Sturtevant.  I  wish  to  be  excused  ft-om  that  phrase  when 
I  make  a  confession  of  faith.  I  want  a  confession  of  faith  to  express  what  I 
mean;  and  it  will  be  hard  work  for  me  to  vote  for  it  if  I  know  there  is 
phraseology  in  it  which  I  do  not  mean.  In  all  my  controversies  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  they  insisted  upon  my  subscribing  their  for- 
mula for  substance  of  doctrine.  I  wanted  to  be  simply  an  honest  man; 
and  I  want  these  brethren  to  be  simply  honest  men,  and  to  accept  a  con- 
fession of  faith  which  every  one  of  them  does  in  his  heart  and  soul  be- 
lieve, without  any  phraseology  or  statements  in  it  which  we  could  wish 
were  away,  with  no  expression  to  be  a  stumbling-block  to  every  profes- 
sor of  theology  and  to  every  man  in  this  house.  I  have  sat  here  and 
doubted  and  doubted  whether  to  make  this  speech  or  not;  but  I  have 
made  it,  and  here  I  stand. 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow,  of  New  Hampshire.  I  hope  we  all  hold  to  the 
old  formula  of  the  Westminster  Assembly's  Catechism,  and  the  Savoy 
Confession  of  Faith,  and  I  hope  every  member  will  be  ready  to  reaffirm 
It. 

Several  members.    No,  no. 

Dr.  Barstow  continuing.    The  same  phraseology  our  fathers  used  in 
1648.    We  say  we  believe  for  substance  of  doctrine  the  confession  of  the 
Westminster  Assembly.    I  stand  upon  that  ground  now,  and  I  hope  the' 
brethren  of  this  body  wilL 


DECLARATION   OF   FAITH,  357 

Rev.  Prof.  Park,  of  Massachusetts,  said :  I  do  not  feel  able  to  say  a 
word  this  afternoon,  in  consequence  of  my  having  been  kept  in  a  cellar^ 
for  two  or  three  days  [Laughter],  and  being  now  quite  feeble  in  health. 
But,  sir,  wc  are  CaJvinists,  mainly,  essentially,  in  all  the  essentials  of 
our  faith:  and  the  man  who,  having  pursued  a  three  years'  course  of 
study,  —  having  studied  the  Bible  in  the  original  languages,  —  is  not  a 
Calvinist,  is  not  a  respectable  man.  I  have  a  high  respect  for  this  CounciL 
I  have  a  great  reverence  for  this  Council ;  and  although  I  have  been  im- 
mured in  a  cellar  for  so  long  a  time,  yet  when  I  have  seen  tiiembers  of 
this  Council,  I  have  seen  that  they  were  intelligent  and  able  men, —  such 
men  as  are  very  seldom  assembled  in  any  one  body.  But  I  should  alter 
my  opinion  of  it  at  once  and  totally,  if  it  should  discard  the  name  of  Cal- 
yinists.  I  confess  I  should  be  utterly  and  perfectly  ashamed  to  have  this 
amendment  pass.  I  should  be  ashamed  to  see  it  published  in  the  news- 
papers. We  should  be  a  hissing  and  a  by-word  among  the  people;  be- 
cause we  are  such  in  substance  of  doctrine,  and  we  avow  ourselves  to  be 
such  in  the  main  and  in  the  essentials.  We  use  these  expressions  very 
frequently.  And  if  we  can  not  go  before  the  world,  and  say  we  are  such, 
then  I  think  we  have  misunderstood  the  nature  and  the  spirit  of  this 
great  system.  This  is  an  historical  name;  and  I  would  not  be  cut  off 
from  our  historical  connection  with  the  great  fathers  of  our  churches.  I 
hope  by  all  means  that  this  amendment  will  not  pass  this  afternoon  at 
this  late  hour.  If  the  brethren  insist  upon  considering  it  further,  I  hope 
that  the  subject  will  be  deferred  until  to-morrow. 

Kev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts,  rose  to  speak,  desiring  to 
occupy  but  one  minute. 

The  hour  of  5  o'clock  having  arrived,  the  Moderator  stated 
that  it  would  not  be  in  order. 

On  motion,  the  order  was  suspended  to  allow  Rev.  Mr.  Allen 
two  minutes. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen  stated,  and  appealed  to  Professors  Park,  Lawrence, 
and  others,  to  sustain  him,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  imputation  of  Adam's 
sin  was  not  to  be  found  in  Calvin's  writings.  He  believed  in  total  cor- 
ruption, but  not  in  imputation.  Those  who  believed  in  imputation, 
therefore,  were  not  Calvinists. 

The  question  being  taken  upon  the  amendment,  upon  divis- 
ion, there  was  manifestly  a  large  majority  opposed  to  it,  and  it 
was  declared  rejected  witliout  a  count. 

Rev.  Mr.  Ferrin,  of  Vermont,  moved  to  lay  the  report  upon 
the  table. 

The  motion  was  rejected. 

1  The  basement  of  Mount  Vernon  Church,  in  attendance  upon  conunittees. 


868  •   DECLARATION    OF   FAITH. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  to  adjourn. 

The  motion  was  rejected. 

Rev.  Mr.  Byington,  of  Vermont,  raised  the  question  of  order, 
that  the  Council  must  be  declared  adjourned,  unless  this  order 
was  further  suspended,  without  a  motion. 

The  Moderator  ruled  that  the  Convention  had  just,  by  its 
vote,  declared  otherwise. . 

# 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  MassachuAetts.  I  protest  against  having  a  confes- 
sion  of  faith  imposed  upon  us. 

A  member  moved  to  postpone  the  further  consideration  of  the 
report  until  the  next  session. 

The  motion  was  rejected. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  to  suspend  the 
order  fixing  the  hour  for  adjournment  until  further  vote. 

Rev.  Mr.  Balkam  raised  the  point  of  order,  that  even  that 
motion  was  out  of  order  after  5  o'clock. 

The  point  of  order  was  overruled  by  the  Moderator. 

'The  motion  to  suspend  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt,  of  New  York,  moved  to  amend  the  report 
by  inserting  after  the  word  "  above-named,"  in  the  third  para- 
graph, the  words, "  Doctrinal  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England." 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott.  I  should  deprecate  exceedingly  pressing  this 
matter  to-night  to  a  decision  of  the  Council.  I  move  that  we  hear  some 
notices  from  the  Business  Committee,  and  then  adjourn. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts,  suggested  as  a  modifica- 
tion of  the  motion,  that  it  be  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at 
11  o'clock,  on  Burial  Hill,  in  Plymouth,  unless  it  be  rainy,  in 
which  case,  to  meet  in  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk's  Church. 

Rev.  Mr.  Wolcott  accepted  the  modification,  and  the  motion 
as  modified  was  agreed  to. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  the  Business  Committee,  introduced  vari- 
ous papers,  which  were  appropriately  referred ;  as  follows :  — 

(1.)  WhereaSj  The  use  of  tobacco  is  a  great  and  growing  evil  in  our 
land,  and  large  treasures  are  wasted  in  forming  and  cherishing  a  habit 
that  is  not  only  expensive  but  highly  injurious;  therefore 

Besolved,  That  this  Council  do,  in  the  most  solemn  and  decided  man- 
ner, raise  a  voice  of  warning  against  this  evil,  and  exhort  our  churches 
and  our  people  everywhere  to  set  their  faces  like  a  flint  against  it,  that 


SABBATH. CHURCH    IN   BALTIMORE.  859 

our  precious  youth  may  be  saved  from  its  baneM  influence,  and  the  fair- 
est portion  of  our  earthly  heritage  from  foul  desecration. 

Accepted,  and  referred  to  the  committee  on  Temperance. 

(2.)  Besolved,  That  we  recommend  to  all  the  churches  represented  in 

this  Council  the  observance  of  the day  of as  a  day  of  special 

fasting  and  prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  land, 
to  crown  with  success  the  results  reached  by  this  body;  and  that  we 
send  a  brief  address  to  those  churches,  to  be  laid  before  them  on  that 
occasion. 

Accept<3d,  and  reference  ordered  to  a  special  committee  to  be 
appointed. 

(3.)  Whereas^  Our  Pilgrim  Fathers  regarded  the  strict  observance  of 
the  Sabbath  as  a  duty  they  owed  to  God,  and  also  as  indispensable  to  the 
formation  of  a  free  Christian  republic ;  and 

}VTiei'e(jL8y  The  desecration  of  the  Sabbath  is  proverbial,  both  by  the 
nation  and  by  individuals,  and  thereby  one  of  the  fundamental  principles 
on  which  our  fathers  reared  this  mighty  nation  is  greatly  imperiled,  and 
the  God  who  ordained  the  Sabbath  dishonored :  therefore 

Besolvcd^  That  we  as  a  Council  greatly  deplore  the  general  desecra- 
tion of  the  Sabbath  in  our  beloved  land,  and  feel  called  upon  to  use  all 
proper  efforts,  in  the  pulpit  and  by  the  pew,  by  prayer,  and  if  necessary 
by  our  petitions  to  Congress,  to  restore  to  the  nation  the  sanctity  of  the 
Christian  Sabbath,  once  so  dear  to  our  fathers. 

Reference  ordered  to  the  committee  on  the  "  Declaration  of 
Faith.'' 

(4.)  Wh^reas^  This  Council  is  informed  that  a  band  of  Christians  in 
Baltimore,  many  of  whom  are  known  to  have  been  first  among  the  fore- 
most in  the  great  movements  in  Maryland  during  the  last  four  years  for 
liberty  and  the  Union,  have  recently  been  organized  into  a  Congrega- 
tional Church;  and 

Whereas^  These  representatives  of  the  New  England  polity  and  spirit 
have  with  great  self-sacrifice  devoted  themselves  and  their  property  to 
the  enterprise  of  building,  upon  a  commanding  hight  in  that  city  a 
church  edifice  worthy  of  their  cause,  and  of  gathering  from  the  large 
number  of  intelligent  and  liberty-loving  citizens  of  that  emancipated  me- 
tropolis a  vigorous  and  influential  church;  and 

Whereas,  We  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  success  of  one  such  en- 
terprise would  lead  to  the  early  establishment  of  other  strong  churches  in 
Baltimore,  and  that  such  a  church,  standing  in  the  gateway  of  the  South, 
would  insure  the  organization  of  many  more  in  the  regions  beyond,  and 
would  itself  become  a  light  and  a  power  over  the  whole  land:  therefore 

Besolved,  That  this  National  Council  commend  this  initial  enterprise 
at  the  South  to  the  sympathy  and  most  liberal  aid  of  our  whole  denom- 


360  REPORT    OF    FINANCE   COMMITTEE. 

ination,  as  one  of  the  highest  importance  to  our  country,  to  the  interests 
of  liberty,  and  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 

Accepted,  and  referred  to  the  committee  on  the  Evangeliza- 
tion of  the  West  and  South. 

(5.)  Eesolved,  That  it  is  inexpedient  and  improper  that  pastors  of  Con- 
gregational churches  should  assume,  or  retain,  membership  in  another 
denomination. 

Accepted,  and  referred  to  the  committee  on  Church  Polity. 

(6.)  Besolved^  That  a  committee  be  raised  to  devise  ways  and  means 
to  raise  the  $750,000  voted  as  expedient  for  national  evangelization. 

Reference  ordered  to  a  special  committee  to  be  appointed. 

(7.)  Besolved,  That  this  Council  will  adjourn  sine  die  on  Saturday 
next,  at  12,  m. 

Reference  ordered  to  Business  Committee. 

(8.)  Whereas^  The  expeditious  securing  of  the  $750,000  which  our 
churches  have  been  recommended  to  raise  is  of  the  Urst  importance  to 
our  land  and  the  Church;  and 

Wliereas^  An  equitable  apportionment  of  this  sum  among  the  churches 
of  our  several  States,  according  to  their  several  ability,  would  greatly 
facilitate  the  obtaining  of  the  entire  sum : 

Besolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  make  as  equitable  an  ap- 
portionment as  possible  of  the  sum  to  be  raised,  among  the  different 
States,  and  in  due  time  to  inform  the  churches  of  each  State  what  por- 
tion of  the  fund  it  properly  belongs  to  them  to  furnish. 

Accepted,  and  reference  ordered  to  the  special  committee  on 
Ways  and  Means  of  obtaining  the  $760,000  fund,  previously 
ordered. 

The  special  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  report  of  the 
Finance  Committee  reported  by  resolutions,  as  follows : 

WJiereas,  The  failure  of  a  large  number  of  churches  to  respond  to  the 
call  made  by  the  preliminary  meeting,  for  contributions  to  meet  the  ex- 
penses of  this  Council,  has  resulted  in  a  lack  of  means  to  meet  the  just 
demands  upon  our  treasury:  therefore 

Besolved^  That  the  Finance  Committee  be  authorized  to  call  upon  the 
more  wealthy  of  those  churches  which  failed  to  make  contribution,  for  a 
sum  not  less  than  one  thousand  dollars  to  meet  such  deficit;  and  that 
said  committee  be  directed  to  pay  over  any  balance  which  shall  remain 
in  their  hands,  after  discharging  all  just  claims  against  this  Council,  into 
the  hands  of  thd  Congregational  Union. 


DECLARATION    OP   FAITH.  361 

Besolved^  That  the  delegates  to  this  Council,  representing  the  churches 
to  which  this  call  shall  be  addressed,  be  requested  to  aid  the  committee 
in  their  collections. 

Accepted  and  adopted. 

After  singing  the  Doxology,  the  Council  adjourned,  at  half 
past  five  o'clock,  P.  M. 


EIGHTH   DAY,    THURSDAY,  JUNE  22. 

The  Council  met  on  Burial  Hill,  Plymouth,  on  the  spot 
where  the  first  meeting-house  of  the  Pilgrims  stood,  at  Hi 
o'clock,  Assistant  Moderator  Hammond  presiding. 

On  motion,  the  reading  of  the  minutes  of  yesterday  was 
omitted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts.  I  have  been  directed  by  the  Busi- 
ness Committee  to  read  a  paper  which  is  in  their  hands.  The  idea  was  en- 
tertained that  it  might  possibly  meet  the  views  of  all  present  If  it  did, 
well;  if  it  did  not,  it  could  be  quietly  dropped.    The  paper  is  as  foUows: 

DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 

Standing  by  the  rock  where  the  Pilgrims  set  foot  upon  these  shores, 
upon  the  spot  where  they  worshiped  God,  and  among  the  graves  of  the 
early  generations,  we,  Elders  and  Messengers  of  the  Congregational 
Churches  of  the  United  States,  in  National  Council  assembled,  like  them 
acknowledging  no  rule  of  faith  but  the  word  of  God,  do  now  reiterate 
our  adherence  to  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Apostolic  and  Primitive 
Churches  as  held  by  our  fathers,  and  as  substantially  embodied  in  the 
Confessions  and  Platforms  which  our  Synods  of  1648  and  1680  set  forth 
or  reaffirmed.  We  declare  that  the  experience  of  the  nearly  two  and  a 
half  centuries  which  have  elapsed  since  the  memorable  day  when  our 
iaires  founded  here  a  Christian  commonwealth,  with  all  the  development 
of  new  forms  of  error  since  their  times,  have  only  deepened  our  confi- 
dence in  the  faith  and  polity  of  these  fathers.  We  bless  the  God  of  our 
fathers  for  the  inheritance  of  these  doctrines,  which  have  been  trans- 
mitted to  us,  their  children.  We  invoke  the  help  of  the  Divine  Re- 
deemer, that,  through  the  presence  of  the  promised  Comforter,  he  will 
enable  us  to  transmit  them  in  purity  to  our  children. 

In  the  times  that  are  before  us  as  a  nation,  times  at  once  of  duty  and 
of  danger,  we  rest  all  our  hope  in  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  It 
was  the  grand  peculiarity  of  our  Puritan  Fathers  that  they  held  thie 
gospel  not  merely  as  the  ground  of  their  personal  salvation,  but  as  de- 
claring the  worth  of  man  by  the  incarnation  and  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of 


862  DECLARATION    OF    FAITH. 

God,  and  therefore  applied  its  principles  to  elevate  society,  to  regulate 
education,  to  civilize  humanity,  to  purify  law,  to  reform  the  Church  and 
the  State,  to  assert  and  to  defend  liberty;  in  short,  to  mold  and  redeem, 
by  its  all- transforming  energy,  everything  that  belongs  to  man  in  his  in- 
dividual and  social  relations. 

It  was  the  faith  of  our  fathers  that  gave  us  this  free  land  in  which  we 
dwell.  It  is  by  this  faith  only  that  we  can  transmit  it  to  our  children  a 
free  and  happy,  because  a  Christian,  commonwealth. 

We  hold  it  to  be  a  distinctive  excellence  of  our  Congregational  sys- 
tem that  it  exalts  that  which  is  more,  above  that  which  is  less,  important, 
and,  by  the  simplicity  of  its  organization,  facilitates,  in  communities 
where  the  population  is  limited,  the  union  of  all  true  believers  in  one 
Christian  Church;  and  that  the  division  of  such  communities  into  sev- 
eral weak  and  jealous  societies,  holding  the  same  common  faith,  is  a  sin 
against  the  unity  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  at  once  the  shame  and 
scandal  of  Christendom.    [Inserted  on  second  reading.] 

We  rejoice  that,  through  the  influence  of  our  free  system  of  apostolic 
order,  we  can  hold  fellowship  with  all  who  acknowledge  Christ,  and  act 
efllciently  in  the  work  of  restoring  unity  to  the  divided  Church,  and  of 
bringing  back  harmony  and  peace  among  all  "  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity." 

But  recognizing  the  unity  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  all  the  world, 
and  knowing  that  we  are  but  one  branch  of  Christ's  people,  while  adher- 
ing to  our  own  peculiar  faith  and  order,  we  extend  to  all  believers  the 
hand  of  Christian  fellowship  upon  the  basis  of  those  fundamental  truths 
in  which  all  Christians  may  agree.  With  them,  we  confess  our  faith  in 
God,  the  Father,  the.  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  only  living  and  true 
God;  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  incarnate  Word,  who  is  exalted  to  be  our  Re- 
deemer and  King;  and  in  the  Holy  Comforter,  who  is  present  in  the 
Church  to  regenerate  and  sanctify  the  soul. 

With  the  whole  Church,  we  confess  the  common  sinfulness  and  ruin  of 
our  race,  and  acknowledge  that  it  is  only  through  the  work  accomplished 
by  the  life  and  expiatory  death  of  Christ  that  we  are  justified  before 
God,  and  receive  the  remission  of  sins;  and  that  it  is  through  the  pres- 
ence and  grace  of  the  Holy  Comforter  alone  that  we  hope  to  be  deliv- 
ered from  the  power  of  sin,  and  to  be  perfected  in  holiness. 

We  believe,  also,  in  an  organized  and  visible  Church,  in  the  ministry  of 
the  Word,  in  the  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  in  the  final  judgment,  the  issues  of  which 
are  eternal  life  and  everlasting  punishment 

We  receive  these  truths  on  the  testimony  of  God,  given  originally 
through  prophets  and  apostles,  and  in  the  life,  the  miracles,  the  death, 
the  resurrection,  of  his  Son,  our  divine  Redeemer,  —  a  testimony  pre- 
served for  the  Church  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
which  were  composed  by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Affirming  now  our  belief  that  those  who  thus  hold  "  one  faith,  one 
Lord,  one  baptism,"  together  constitute  the  one  catholic  Church,  the  sev- 


DECLARATION   OF   FAITH.  363 

eral  households  of  which,  though  called  by  different  names,  are  the  one 
body  of  Christ,  and  that  these  members  of  his  body  are  sacredly  bound 
to  keep  the  "  unity  of  the  spirit*in  the  bond  of  peace,"  we  declare  that 
we  will  co-operate  With  all  who  hold  these  truths.  With  them,  we  will 
carry  the  gospel  into  every  part  of  this  land ;  and  with  them  we  will  go 
"  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature." 

May  lie  to  whom  **  all  power  is  given  in  heaven  and  earth  "  fulfill  the 
promise  which  is  all  our  hope:  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  to  the 
end  of  the  world."    Amen. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  I  want  to  make  a  suggestion,  which 
I  think  will  meet  the  entire  approval  of  the  Council. 

When  we  adjourned  last  evening,  I  felt  that  a  providence  of  God  had 
intervened  to  prevent  the  adoption,  at  that  time  and  place,  of  the 
Declaration  of  Faith  that  was  then  before  us.  I  felt  that  on  this  conse- 
crated spot,  to  us  "  the  holiest  spot  of  all  the  earth,"  we  should  become, 
all  of  us,  more  deeply  and  fervently  conscious  of  our  relation  to  thd  past, 
and  of  our  relation  to  the  boundless  continent,  and  to  the  boundless 
future,  than  we  could  be  even  there,  and  that  there  was  a  fitness  in  our 
here  uniting  in  giving  our  testimony  to  the  faith  and  to  the  order 
which  our  Pilgrim  Fathers  brought  with  them  when  they  came  to  this 
spot  and  laid  the  foundations  of  empire,  in  their  humility,  and  their  un- 
consciousness of  the  grandeur  of  their  destiny.  I  wish  to  suggest  then, 
Mr.  Moderator,  that  in  adopting  this  paper  which  has  now  been  laid 
before  us,  we  are  to  be  understood  as  adopting  it  according  to  the  old 
forms,  the  old  use  of  language,  substantially  ;  adopting  it,  not  as  if  every 
one  of  us  was  going  to  swear  by  those  ipsissima  verba^  but  adopting  it  in 
its  essence,  in  its  meaning,  and  in  its  scoi)e.  Then,  if  it  be  fit,  we  may 
adopt  the  other  also,  —  although  I  do  not  perceive  any  deviation  in  this 
from  the  other;  —  and  then,  for  the  sake  of  perfecting  the  document, 
grammatically,  rhetorically,  and  in  respect  of  logical  arrangement, — 
although  I  think  this  is  an  improvement  upon  the  first  one  in  that  re- 
gard,—  it  may  be  referred  to  a  large  and  representative  committee,  who, 
by  a  sub-committee  of  their  own  appointment,  shall  make  it  as  perfect 
as  possible,  in  all  respects,  and  shaU  then  certify  to  the  world,,  in  giving 
it  out,  that  this  is  the  Declaration  of  Faith  which  was  made  on  this 
sacred  spot,  by  this  Council.  I  believe  the  suggestion  is  understood,  and 
trust  it  will  receive  the  unanimous  approval  of  the  whole  Council  here 
assembled. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  In  the  name  of  our  fathers,  I  pro- 
test, from  this  consecrated  hill,  against  that  Declaration.    It  is  sectarian. 

The  Moderator.  Any  protest  against  our  action  may  be  filed  with 
the  Secretary,  and  put  upon  the  record  in  the  proper  way. 

Dea.  Stoddard,  of  Massachusetts.  I  hope  the  Declaration  will  be 
adopted,  in  accordance  with  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Bacon. 

Rev.  Prof.  Porter,  of  Connecticut  I  have  no  very  special  objection 
to  most  of  the  paper  which  has  been  read,  which  is  taken,  in  substance, 
from  the  document  that  was  before  us  yesterday  ;  but  it  seems  to  me 


364  DECLARATION    OF    FAITH, 

scarcely  in  keeping  with  the  traditions  concerning  order  which  we  have 
received  from  our  fathers,  that  a  paper  should  be  presented  under  cir- 
ciunstances  like  these,  in  which  all  debate  must  be  necessarily  excluded, 
in  order  to  carry  a  point  which,  perhaps,  on  deliberation,  might  be  agree- 
able to  us  alL  I  noticed,  still  further,  the  omission  of  what  I  deem  to 
be  an  important  paragraph  in  the  paper  reported  by  the  committee, 
and  that  is  a  paragraph  which  is  near  the  bottom  of  the  second  page, 
where  we  assert  the  value  of  our  system  in  promoting  what  I  consider 
a  very  great  movement  at  the  present  time,  —  the  unity  of  the  Church. 
I  think  that  paragraph  ought  to  be  retained;  and,  if  it  is,  I  have  no 
objection  to  the  paper. 

Kev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  My  intention  was  to  move  that  the 
substance  of  the  paper  which  was  before  us  last  evening,  and  of  that 
which  has  now  been  read,  be  adopted,  and  that  the  two  papers  be  referred 
to  a  committee,  to  be  perfected. 

Dr.  Dutton  moved  that  the  paragraph  referred  to  by  Prof. 
Porter  be  incorporated  in  the  paper  which  had  been  read  by 
Mr.  Quint ;  but  the  Moderator  ruled  that  the  motion  was  un- 
necessary, as  Dr.  Bacon's  motion  included  the  substance  of 
both  papers. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts.  I  felt  yesterday  that  we  were 
crowded  to  a  vote  ;  I  felt  the  tyranny  of  a  majority.  I  feel  the  impropriety 
of  this  proceeding  this  morning;  but,  under  all  the  circumstances,  I  feel  con- 
strained, in  conscience,  all  things  considered,  to  second  the  motion  which 
has  been  made,  and  hope  we  shall  adopt  the  substance  of  these  papers. 

Rev.  Mr.  Cochran,  of  Iowa.  I  have  not  had  a  word  to  say  in  the 
Council  on  any  of  these  questions.  I  supposed,  when  we  separated  last 
evening,  that  this  matter  was  laid  over  imtil  Friday,  and  I  think  that 
was  the  general  impression.  I  have  not  heard  this  paper,  and  a  number 
did  not  get  here  in  time  to  hear  it  read;  and  I  desire  to  hear  it  before  I 
vote  upon  it 

Mr.  Quint  agam  read  the  paper,  and  at  its  conclusion,  said  : 

The  idea  in  preparing  this  document  was,  honestly  and  heartily  to  en- 
deavor to  aVoid  the  points  on  which  we  seemed  to  split  yesterday.  I,  for 
one,  think  we  are  all  of  one  heart,  but  there  may  be  some  diflerences  of 
expression.  Now,  this  paper  has  been  prepared  to  embody,  briefly,  the  e^- 
sential  parts  of  yesterday's  paper,  with  certain  new  parts  in  a  new  frame- 
work, and  thus  to  avoid,  if  possible,  any  diflflculty  or  conflict  I  think  it  will 
not  be  best —  although  I  do  not  care  to  argue  the  matter  —  to  adopt  the 
two  papers,  when  this  was  intended  to  avoid  some  difl^culties  growing 
out  of  the  other.  It  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  better,  on  several 
accounts,  to  adopt  only  one  paper,  and  tliat,  this  paper.  Further  than  that, 
I  would  say  that  I  am  not  ready  to  give  to  any  committee,  which  shall  sit 
after  this  (JiJouncil  adjourns,  power  to  promulgate  any  creed  tliey  please. 


DECLARATION    OF    FAITH.  865 

[Eight I]  I  am  ready  to  give  a  committee  the  privilege  of  making  such 
verbal  alterations  as  may  be  necessary,  which  will  not  affect  the  sense,  or 
interfere  with  the  feelings  or  prejudices  of  other  persons,  —  nothing  fur- 
ther than  that;  but  even  that  should  be  reported  for  the  action  of  the 
Council.  I  would  also  have  the  paragraph  referred  to  by  Prof  Porter 
inserted,  for  I  think  it  extremely  valuable,  and  am  sorry  it  was  inad- 
vertently omitted,  and,  if  permitted,  will  insert  it 

I  move  to  amend  the  motion  before  us,  so  that  it  read  that  the  Coun- 
cil adopt  the  paper  now  read;  and  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to 
suggest  such  verbal  alterations,  not  affecting  the  sense,  as  may  seem 
needful. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  I  accept  his  amendment;  that  is,  that  we  now 
adopt  the  paper  which  has  been  read,  including  that  paragraph,  with  the 
understanding  that  the  whole  paper  is  to  be  referred  to  a  committee  of 
revision,  to  perfect  the  diction,  and  to  report  to  this  body  before  its  final 
adjournment. 

The  question  was  then  put,  and  the  motion  adopted  with 
but  two  dissenting  voices. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  »Massachusetts,  it  was  — 

Voted^  That  the  first  business  to-morrow  morning  be  the  election,  by  a 
ballot,  of  a  committee,  consisting  of  one  from  each  State  represented,  to 
whom  the  paper  just  adopted  shall  be  referred  for  revision. 

Rev.  Dr.  Daggett,  of  New  York,  then  addressed  the 
Throne  of  Grace  in  a  fervent  and  most  impressive  manner, 
concluding  with  the  Lord's  Prayer,  in  which  the  members  of 
the  Council  audibly  joined. 

Edward  S.  Tobey,  Esq.,  of  Massachusetts,  then  made  some 
statements  in  regard  to  the  arrangements  for  the  remainder  of 
the  day,  after  which,  it  was,  on  motion. 

Voted,  That  when  the  Council  adjourn,  it  be  to  meet  at  the  Mt  Ver- 
non Church,  Boston,  at  9  o'clock,  to-morrow  morning. 

The  Doxology  "  Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 
was  then  sung,  and  the  Council  adjourned. 

After  the  adjournment,  the  members  of  the  Council  proceed- 
ed, in  a  body,  to  Forefathers'  Rock,  and  to  Pilgrim  Hall,  to 
inspect  the  various  memorials  of  the  Pilgrims  there  sacredly 
preserved.  They  were  then  hospitably  entertained  according  to 
arrangements  by  the  preliminary  committee,  and  the  collation 
was  followed  by  addresses. 


866  ADDRESSES   AT   THE  TABLE. 

ADDRESSES  AT  THE  TABLE.* 
ADDRESS  OF  REV.  A.  L.  STONE,  D.  D. 

Fathers  and  Brethren  of  the  Council,  —  The  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments have  offered  you  this  excursion  not  simply  as  a  pleasant  railroad 
trip,  —  not  simply  as  a  day  of  rest  and  recreation  amidst  the  arduous 
and  weighty  cares  of  your  protracted  session,  nor  merely  as  a  pleasant 
visit  to  one  of  our  fair  New  England  towns,  with  its  quiet  bay  and  its 
green  islands,  but  with  a  deeper  intent  and  purpose  regarding  the  fit- 
ness of  things.  It  was  fitting,  we  thought,  that  the  apostles  and  confes- 
sors of  our  ffdth  and  order,  —  gathering  from  every  part  of  the  land  to 
look  upon  one  another's  faces,  take  one  another  by  the  hand,  and 
strengthen  one  another  to  enter  in  and  possess  that  magnificent  future 
of  our  heritage  for  God  and  the  old  Puritans,  —  should  have  their  reunion 
in  the  old  Cradle  of  the  Puritan  city,  the  metropolis  of  the  common- 
wealth and  of  New  England.  And  now  it  is  fitting,  in  the  second  place, 
that  we,  children  of  the  Pilgrims,  tracing  back  the  steps  of  our  forefa- 
thers with  love  and  veneration,  should  not  suffer  our  feet  to  pause  until 
they  come  quite  to  the  memorable  Bay  and  to  Forefathers'  Bock.  This 
is  the  earlier  and  the  holier  shrine.  To  have  come  so  near  and  not 
to  have  reached  it,  not  to  have  touched  it,  not  to  have  clustered  around 
it,  to  renew  our  vows  of  everlasting  fealty  to  our  religious  faith,  in  its 
doctrines,  in  its  order,  in  its  memories,  in  its  inspirations,  would  have 
been  such  a  mistake  and  blunder  as  history  —  the  history  that  writes  the 
doings  of  these  days  that  we  are  freighting  so  deeply  for  the  future,  — 
would  have  deemed  incredible.  Now,  it  will  be  regarded  as  one  of  the 
grand  reminiscences  of  this  hour,  as  congruous  and  chiming  in  well  with 
the  spirit,  and  calling,  and  work,  of  this  Council,  that  we  came  hither 
that  we  might,  by  contact  with  the  electric  forces  of  this  scene,  thrilling 
through  every  mind  and  soul,  put  ourselves  into  closer  communion  with  the 
fathers  and  their  ever-living  principles.  It  is  well  that  we  follow  the  stream 
back  to  its  fountain,  that  we  may  drink  again  at  the  ancient  spring 
fresh  and  pure,  —  drink,  every  man  of  us,  until  our  souls  overflow,  — 
drink  until  we  ourselves  become  channels,  brimming  full,  in  which  the 
external  and  religious  life  of  the  past,  cherished  in  our  hearts,  shall  flow 
forth  to  all  the  saints  of  the  common  family. 

Oh,  how  good  it  is  to  stand  on  Plymouth  Bock  once  morel  —  to  feel 
something  solid  beneath  our  feet  I  Amid  all  the  fluctuations  of  the  pres- 
ent, amid  the  tossing  billows  of  that  storm  of  war,  and  the  agitations 
that  succeed,  which  show  that  the  great  sea  is  not  quiet  yet,  to  find  that 
our  feet  are  on  the  immovable  granite,  where  nations,  ages  may  build, 
and  no  flood  can  overflow!    [Applause.] 

It  is  not  mine,  I  will  not  ask  that  it  shall  be  mine,  to  name  even  one 
element  of  that  firm-supporting  faith,  on  which,  as  on  an  everlasting 
rock,  our  fathers  planted  their  feet,  and  on  which  our  feet  have  come  to 

1  Though  not  a  part  of  the  official  proceedings,  the  exercises  after  the  collation  are 
recorded,  on  account  of  their  peculiar  interest 


ADDRESSES   AT   THE   TABLE.  367 

be  planted  too;  for  we  are  sons  of  those  sires  by  more  than  natural  de- 
scent; we  are  one  with  them  by  more  than  the  bond  of  a  common  faith, 
though  that  bond  be  so  mighty,  so  indissoluble.  We  are  one  with  them 
by  a  common  experience  now.  What  they  saw  we  have  seen,  and  the 
more  clearly;  what  they  heard,  we  have  heard,  and  the  more  audibly. 
We  have  seen  the  mighty  hand  of  God  in  our  personal  story;  we  have 
heard  his  voice  near  to  us  again,  here,  in  the  old  Puritan  commonwealth. 
Kay,  more :  in  all  the  land,  men  walk  and  talk  and  sit  and  commune 
with  a  present,  living  God,  as  our  fathers  walked  and  talked  and  sat  and 
communed  with  him.  God  is  nearer  from  the  bending  heavens  to  all  the 
children  of  the  Puritans  to-day  than  ever  since  the  old  Puritan  days. 
We  are  at  one  with  the  fathers  by  that  common  and  blessed  experience. 
Our  souls  will  keep  fresher  for  our  visit  to  this  scene;  and  it  will  grave 
every  line  of  that  earlier  scene  deeper  into  mind  and  heart  and  memory. 

In  most  of  the  pictures,  you  know,  that  artists  have  given  us  of  that 
earlier  scene,  they  drew  largely  upon  the  imagination.  Art  steered  the 
Mayflower  at  first  ink)  this  harbor,  and  anchored  her  in  the  background; 
art  rowed  a  boat-load  of  living,  breathing  men,  women,  and  children,  ar- 
rayed in  festal  attire,  to  the  sacred  Rock;  art  grouped  the  wild  Indian, 
in  picturesque  costume,  in  the  background  of  the  wood.  But  history 
tells  the  story  difierently,  —  that  the  Mayflower  found  her  first  anchor- 
age in  Provincetown  Bay,  on  the  eleventh  of  November;  and  three  ex- 
peditions, you  know,  were  sent  out  from  the  Mayflower,  the  third  of 
which  came  to  this  point.  One,  on  foot,  moved  as  far  as  Wellfleet;  an- 
other, by  boat,  entered  Pamet  Bay,  Truro;  then  the  shallop,  that  bore 
the  sacred  seed  of  a  grand  harvest,  —  the  shallop  came  in  on  Thursday 
night:  the  first  keel  that  ever  parted  these  waves,  over  which  only  the 
light  canoe  had  skimmed,  and  the  wild  fowl  of  the  ocean.  It  came,  not 
at  first  to  this  rock,  but  to  that  green  island  across  the  bay,  —  Clark's 
Island.  There  the  Pilgrims  passed  Friday  and  Saturday  (perhaps  in 
repairing  their  boat;  for  they  came  in,  in  a  fierce  north-easter,  their  rud- 
der gone,  and  the  boat  steered  with  diflSculty  by  two  oars,  their  mast 
overboard,  in  three  pieces),  and  there  they  kept  the  sacred  Sabbath; 
and,  on  Monday  morning,  the  11th  of  December,  1620,  —  the  11th,  old 
style,  the  21st,  new  style,  —  that  shallop  came  to  the  rock  and  unloaded 
its  freight  of  precious  life  thereupon,  and  the  continent  was  ours.  [Loud 
applause.] 

I  am  trespassing  upon  a  rule  which  I  shall  shortly  impose  upon  all 
who  follow  me  [Laughter],  — to  l3e  very  brief,  and  to  remember  all  who 
are  to  come  after  them.  But  the  welcomes  of  this  occasion  will  not  be 
made  complete  until  you  have  heard,  on  behalf  of  the  people  of  this 
town,  whose  pleasant  faces  and  gala  attire  and  thronged  streets  and 
winning  smiles,  are  one,  and  not  the  least  memorable,  part  of  our  wel- 
come [Applause],  —  until  you  have  heard,  on  behalf  of  this  town  and  on 
behalf  of  the  Pilgrim  Society,  doubly  represented  here  by  a  gentleman 
to  whom  I  shall  presently  refer,  and  by  this  gentleman  [Dr.  Timothy 
Gordon],  whom  I  shall  ask  to  complete  my  welcome,  in  the  name  of 
the  town.     From  these  gentlemen  you  will  have  other  and  perhaps 


868  ADDRESSES   AT   THE   TABLE. 

warmer  words  of  welcome.  Will  you  listen  to  Dr.  Gordon,  of  Plym- 
outh, a  member  of  the  Pilgrim  Society,  and  the  gentleman  at  whose 
instance  Pilgrim  Hall  was  opened  to  us  to-day,  and  to  whose  active  in- 
strumentality so  much  that  is  pleasant  in  this  scene  is  due? 

REMARKS  OF  DR.  TIMOTHY  GORDON,  OF  PLYMOUTH 

FeUmO'dUzens  and  Friends,  —  I  rise  simply  to  show  you  my  face,  for 
I  can  have  no  expectation  of  interesting  you,  after  the  words  of  elo- 
quence and  beauty  to  which  you  have  just  listened.  I  will  merely  say, 
that  the  citizens  of  Plymouth  bid  you  welcome,  and  that  the  Pilgrim  So- 
ciety, also,  bid  you  welcome,  thrice  welcome  to  these  shores  whereon  our 
Pilgrim  Fathers  first  set  their  feet.  I  trust  that  what  you  have  seen  to- 
day will  make  such  an  impression  upon  your  minds  that  you  will  be  dis- 
posed to  come  again  and  to  send  your  children  and  children's  children 
to  view  the  same  spectacle  which  you  have  seen  on  the  shore  of  Plym- 
outh.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  This  salutation  is  from  the  citizens  of  Plymouth, 
and,  in  part  from  the  Pilgrim  Society.  The  president-elect  of  that 
society  is  present,  and  being  a  very  modest  man,  as  all  Bostonians  are 
[Great  merriment],  he  is  afraid  I  am  about  to  introduce  him  to  the  au- 
dience; and  imless  I  take  him  by  the  hand,  and  lead  him  to  the  chair 
["  suiting  the  action  to  the  word"],  I  have  no  expectation  of  overcoming 
that  difficulty,  so  that  he  can  address  you.  I  will  wl^sper  to  you 
softly,  the  name  of  Edward  S.  Tobey,  Esq.,  President-elect  of  the  Pilgrim 
Society. 

REMARKS  OF  HON.  EDWARD  S.  TOBEY. 

Mr,  Chairman y  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Congregational  Council,  and 
Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  —  I  am  highly  gratified,  in  the  first  place,  at  the 
exceedingly  proper  estimate  which  the  distinguished  chairman  has 
formed  of  your  speaker  [Laughter]  ;  but  I  am  more  than  vexed  at  the 
thought  that  he  expects  me  to  make  complete  what  he  waa  pleased  to 
consider  incomplete.  I  beg  leave  to  difier  from  him.  I  consider  his 
speech  so  complete,  that  but  little  can  be  expected  from  me.  And  yet, 
ladies  and  gentlemen  I  should  feel  that  I  had  hardly  performed  the  duty 
which  you  had  a  right  to  expect,  even  from  a  president-eZect  of  the  Pil- 
grim Society,  should  I  fail  to  add  my  most  cordial  welcome  in  behalf 
of  that  time-honored  institution  represented  in  every  part  of  our  land. 
I  have  the  privilege  of  saying  to  you,  that,  not  only  in  the  name  of  that 
association,  but  in  the  name  of  the  i)eople  of  this  town,  I  bid  you  a  most 
cordial  welcome  to  this  sacred  spot.  And  yet,  in  doing  this,  we  do  not 
wish  to  have  it  understood  that  we  have  any  exclusive  rights  in  this  spot, 
either  as  the  Pilgrim  Society  or  as  the  people  of  Plymouth.  We  shall 
not  consent  that  one  fragment  of  that  rock  shall  be  taken  from  this  place, 
but  we  shall  ask  you,  all  of  you,  to  draw  fresh  inspiration  from  that 
consecrated  spot,  and  transmit  it  throughout  our  land;  and  we  believe  it 
will  be  transmitted  to  the  end  of  time.  We  have  heard  it  said  that  the 
time  is  not  distant  when  even  our  erring  sister,  South  Carolina,  will  claim 


ABI>B£SSES   AT  FLTMOU'ra.  369 

a  part  of  Pilgrim  Rock.  [Applause.]  I  believe  we  shall  need  to  transplant 
the  principles  of  Pilgrim  Bock,  and  it  should  be  our  chief  concern  to 
propagate  those  views  throughout  our  country. 

It  is  a  sublime  thought,  that  we  are  assembled  in  this  peculiar  period 
of  our  country's  history.  Perhaps  at  no  time  since  our  fathers  first 
planted  their  feet  on  that  spot,  has  there  been  seen  a  more  grand,  a  more 
expressive  representation  of  all  that  is  valuable  or  likely  to  be  valuable 
to  this  nation,  than  the  present  occasion.  A  most  singular  providence 
of  God  has  ordained  that  the  blood  of  the  chief  magistrate  of  our  na^ 
tion  should  be  the  last  shed  in  sealing  the  liberties  of  our  land.  The  last 
drop  of  blood  shed  was  that  of  our  beloved  and  revered  chief  magis- 
trate, Abraham  Lincoln;  and  it  is  fitting  and  proper  that  we  here,  at 
this  early  day,  should  come  to  renew  our  vows  of  fidelity  to  the  princi- 
ples for  which  this  civil  war  has  been  waged,  and  to  pledge  ourselves, 
from  every  portion  of  our  land,  to  go  forth  to  our  respective  homes,  and 
there,  in  every  way,  to  disseminate  the  true  principles  of  civil  and  relig- 
ious freedom. 

But,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  do  not  feel  at  liberty  to  enlarge  on  this 
topic.  We  have  been  very  kindly  admonished  by  the  chairman,  by  the 
very  lengthy  speech  he  made  himself,  that  we  are  not  to  talk  long, 
[Laughter]  and  I  will  conclude  by  simply  repeating  that  the  Pilgrim 
Society  will  gladly  have  you  cherish  in  your  memories  this  interesting 
occasion  as  one  of  the  brightest  spots  of  your  lives;  and  while  I  feel 
myself  the  great  privilege  of  extending  this  welcome  to  people  from  the 
remotest  parts  of  our  land, — even  from  Colorado  and  Nevada,  from  Ore- 
gon and  from  Cahfomia,  —  I  am  equally  glad  to  extend  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  to  those  from  what  we  are  compelled  to  call  a  foreign  land, 
but  what  we  had  better,  perhaps,  call  our  fatherland.  The  time  has 
come  when  we  can  welcome  to  this  spot  those  of  our  friends  who  repre- 
sent religious  liberty  on  the  other  side  of  the  water;  for,  be  it  remem- 
bered, whatever  course  may  have  been  pursued  by  a  portion  of  the  peo- 
ple from  whom  we  descended,  we  have  had  a  vast  number  of  friends, 
who  are  represented  here  to-day  by  those  who  are  ready  to  extend  to  us 
the  congratulations  of  that  country,  and  to  Join  hands  with  us  in  seek- 
ing to  carry  forward  the  great  work  of  Christian  civilization  the  world 
over. 

Bev.  Dr.  Stone.  Thrice  over  have  we  had  the  hand  of  welcome 
extended  to  us,  and  perhaps  you  would  like  the  privilege  of  interchang- 
ing greetings  with  our  friends,  and  saying  whether  you  accept  these  sal- 
utations. His  Excellency,  Governor  Buckingham,  the  Moderator  of  the 
Council,  could  not  be  here  to-day,  and  I  will  ask  Colonel  Hammond  by 
what  voice  it  shall  please  him  to  respond  to  these  salutations. 

REMARKS  OF  HON.  CHARLES  6.  HAMMOND,  OF  ILLINOIS. 

Mr,  Chairman^  —  The  system  which  we  recognize  and  which  we  in- 
tend to  perpetuate  is  one  of  order.  Order  is  its  first  law;  and  that  says, 
that  there  is  a  place  for  everything,  and  everything  should  be  in  its 

u 


870  ADDRESSES   AT   PLYMOUTH. 

place.  As  it  was  not  the  place  of  any  to  talk  of  wat  in  the  presence  of 
Hannibal,  so  it  is  not  my  place  to  address  you  in  the  presence  of  my 
colleague;  and  therefore  you  will  permit  me  to  introduce  to  you  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  P.  Thompson. 

REMARKS   OF  REV.  JOSEPH  P.  THOMPSON,  D.  D.,  OF  NEW  YORK. 

Mr,  Chairman,  —  Should  I  attempt  to  express  our  gratitude  and 
admiration  for  the  well-ordered  and  munificent  hospitality  which  has 
been  extended  to  us  from  our  first  assembling  as  a  Council  to  this  hour, 
I  should  transcend  the  boundaries  of  all  space  and  all  time;  [Laughter] 
for  I  am  to-day  the  mouthpiece,  not  only  of  my  own  burning,  responsive 
heart,  but  of  five  hundred  hearts  and  voices,  who  wish  to  speak  through 
me.  [Applause.]  It  will  devolve  upon  His  Excellency,  the  Governor, 
or,  in  his  absence,  I  insist  that  it  shall  devolve  upon  my  military  supe- 
rior. Colonel  Hammond,  to  return  the  thanks  of  the  Council  to  you  in 
Boston,  in  Mt  Vernon  Church,  for  the  totality  of  this  reception;  but  I 
wish  to-day,  in  a  few  words,  to  express  our  thanks  to  you,  sir,  the  chair- 
man of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  [Rev.  A.  L.  Stone],  to  you,  gen- 
tlemen, who  have  represented  the  town  and  the  society  of  the  JPilgrims, 
for  bringing  us  to  this  particular  spot  I  remember,  when  I  first  saw  a 
cathedral  in  England,  —  I  remember  when,  back  of  that,  I  saw  the  re- 
mains of  the  old  Roman  walls,  there  was  an  oppressive  sense  of  antiq- 
uity. When  I  went  to  Greece,  the  weight  was  heavier.  When  I  went 
to  Egypt,  it  was  so  vast  that  it  disappeared  in  the  infinity  of  space.  I 
walked  with  Abraham  and  the  patriarchs.  Well,  sir,  when  we  came  up 
to  the  Old  South,  I  experienced  the  same  feeling.  When  we  went  to 
Mt  Vernon  Church,  though  that  does  not  have  the  same  odor  of  antiq- 
uity, yet  we  were  \ed  back  to  the  old  fathers  by  that  earnest,  loving 
disciple,  who  carried  us  back  so  far  that  he  only  stopped  short  of  origi- 
nal sin.  [Laughter.]  Then,  sir,  we  were  led  out  to  Charlestown,  and 
there  felt  ourselves  in  sympathy  with  the  early  founders  of  that  church. 
And  now,  to-day,  we  are  brought  to  the  most  hallowed  and  most  ancient 
spot,  where  all  our  local  associations  of  antiquity  merge  themselves  in 
that  grand  past  that  lies  beyond  the  sea,  and  we  feel  ourselves  linked,  on 
this  spot,  with  the  holy  men  of  old  from  across  the  waters,  and,  far  back, 
with  the  whole  church  of  God,  through  all  the  ages  of  time. 

Some  may  have  come  here  —  I  have  been  here  before  —  expecting  to 
find  Pilgrim  Rock  a  dead  old  fossil  rock,  or,  perhaps,  an  utterly  inor- 
ganic rock.  Instead  of  that,  we  have  found  it  a  most  lively  Stone 
[Laughter  and  applause],  and  we  desire  to  join  ourselves  thereunto,  and 
to  build  with  this  living  Stone  from  this  time  forward.  [Renewed  ap- 
plause.] Our  friends  in  the  western  part  of  the  continent,  having  rich 
ores  of  their  own,  desired  to  transport  this  polished  Stone  to  build  into 
their  temple.  You  reftised  us  that  gift  ;  but  now  you  shall  not  prevent 
us  from  carrying  back  from  this  spot  Pilgrim  Rock.  We  shall  carry  it 
with  all  its  grand  memories,  with  all  its  inspiring  associations,  back  to 
the  busy  marts  of  commerce  in  New  York  and  Chicago;  we  shall  carry 
it  across  not  only  the  Alleghanies,  but  the  Rocky  Mountains.    It  shidl 


ADDRESSES   AT   PLYMOUTH.  871 

be  planted,  with  all  its  living  associations  and  power  of  truth  and  grace, 
upon  the  far  shore  of  the  Pacific.  Henceforth,  Pilgrim  Rock  is  ours; 
Boston  is  ours.  You  have  nothing  hereafter  apart  from  every  one  of  us. 
[Applause.] 

We  have  to-day  caught  the  very  spirit  of  the  fathers.  That  scene,  in 
which  we  engaged  on  the  hill  yonder,  was  a  beautiful  reproduction  and 
illustration  of  their  very  spirit  and  methods.  Some  thought  we  were  in 
a  hurry.  I  remember  reading,  in  a  preface  to  the  old  Savoy  Declara- 
tion, —  which,  you  know,  we  have  now  reaflfirmed,  verbatim,  and  literally 
adopted,  —  I  say,  I  remember  reading' in  a  preface  to  that  old  declaration, 
which  was  prepared  by  a  committee  of  six,  —  Drs.  Owen,  Goodwin,  and 
Nye,  Bridge,  Caryl,  and  Greenhill.  —  that  they  were  engaged  only  eleven 
days,  excluding  Sundays,  in  preparing  that  momentous  document  By  way 
of  apology  for  not  spending  more  time  upon  it,  they  said  it  was  prepared 
by  men  accustomed  to  think  for  themselves,  who  knew  what  they  thought, 
who  could  communicate  to  the  Council  what  they  thought  and  believed, 
and  who  thought  and  believed  all  alike.  Now,  how  beautifully  we  have 
reproduced  that  thing!  We  have  had  a  committee  of  five  hundred  men 
examining  their  faith  for  themselves;  we  have  compared  our  views,  and 
we  have  found  that  we  all  feel  exactly  alike.  Why,  Mr.  Chairman,  the 
able  document  prepared  in  the  first  instance  by  two  city  pastors,  with 
the  concurrence  of  two  very  highly  esteemed  theological  professors,  was 
found  to  be  altogether  too  abstract  and  metaphysical.  Then  we  remand- 
ed that  document  to  a  large  committee,  and  on  that  committee  we  had, 
I  think,  seven  living  professors  of  theology. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  Do  you  mean  seven  professors  of 
living  theology?    [Laughter.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson.  I  did  not  say  that,  sir.  It  was  apprehended, 
on  all  sides,  that  when  that  document  was  brought  in,  we  should  have 
collisions  between  the  various  schools,  and  that  everybody  would  want 
td  alter  it  But  when  it  was  brought  in,  we  foimd  we  were  all  agreed, 
" for  substance  of  doctrine;"  and  this  document,  which  has  been  care- 
fully elaborated  by  seven  theological  professors,  is  remanded  to  a  com- 
mittee,—  for  what  purpose?  To  eradicate  any  lurking  heresy?  No; 
to  correct  a  few  grammatical  mistakes.  [Laughter.]  Now,  Mr.  Chair- 
man and  gentlemen,  I  believe  this  Council  to  be  orthodox,  and  I  have  a 
right  to  certify  to  it  If  any  man  tells  you  your  faith  is  not  up  to  the 
old  standard,  there  are  just  two  men  who  can  stand  up  in  your  vindica- 
tion. There  are  two  men  whose  Calvinism  is  unimpeached  and  unim- 
peachable, —  Dr.  Park  and  myself  [Laughter];  and  Just  as  surely  as  any 
man  tells  you  your  faith  is  not  orthodox,  Prof.  Park  will  open  his  great 
gun  in  the  "  Bibliotheca  Sacra,"  and  I,  with  the  permission  of  brother 
Dexter,  will  fire  my  little  squibs  in  the  " Congregational  Quarterly;" 
and  with  that  assurance  of  your  Calvinism,  we  will  carry  it  through, 
even  to  the  Pacific  coast 

Now,  sir,  we  are  here,  as  I  have  said,  catching  the  spirit,  and  intend- 
ing to  illustrate  the  principles,  of  the  fathers;  and  how  well  have  we  not 
only  rehearsed  and  renewed  their  faith,  but  illustrated  their  order  I    It 


872  AI»)BES8ES  AT   PLYMOUTH. 

was  a  meeting  acting  in  order.  Those  men  who  came  to  these  shores 
taught  us  another  lesson.  We  do  not  need  walls  around  us  to  give  us  a 
sense  of  order.  No;  when  the  living  men  touched  this  soil  from  the 
Mayflower,  there  was  a  State;  and  when  the  living  souls,  joined  to 
Christ,  came  from  that  ship  to  these  shores,  there  was  a  Church,  without 
walls,  without  roof ;  and  they  have  taught  us  that  the  principle  of  order 
and  of  organic  life  and  unity  is  in  ourselves,  and  not  in  the  external  ar- 
rangements of  the  hour.  We  therefore  met  in  order;  we  acted  in  order; 
we  illustrated  the  other  grand  principle,  the  conservative  principle  of  the 
polity  of  our  fathers,  that,  wherever,  with  a  beUeving  faith^  men  are 
convened  for  the  work  of  Christ,  there  is  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  there 
is  the  order  of  the  Lord's  house;  and  I  maintain  that  no  confession  has 
ever  gone  forth  from  any  Council  prior  to  this,  under  circumstances  of 
more  grand  and  imposing  order  and  solemnity  than  were  witnessed  on 
yonder  hill  to-day. 

Sir,  we  shaU  go  now,  in  the  spirit  of  this  polity  and  this  faith,  remem- 
bering that  the  first  act  of  those  noble  men,  before  they  built  their  own 
houses,  was  to  put  up  a  rude  house  in  which  to  worship  God,  and,  when 
threatened  by  enemies,  to  make  it  a  battlement  for  their  defense.  You 
know  t^at  they  did  not  dare  (ah  I  this  is  why  we  can  not  identify  the 
resting-place  of  those  honored  dead!)  —  they  did  not  dare  to  put  up  the 
rude  monument  or  raise  a  mound  upon  their  graves,  lest  the  Indians, 
counting  the  number  of  the  fallen,  should  come  and  lay  waste  the  whole 
settlement  Brethren,  what,  after  all,  have  we  known  of  sacrifice,  of  con- 
secration, and  the  baptism  of  blood  I  Let  us  take  upon  our  souls,  —  God 
hearing  and  blessing  us  in  this  hallowed  hour,  —  let  us  take  upon  our 
souls  the  faith  and  the  duty  of  the  fathers,  and  over  their  uncounted,  name- 
less graves,  of  which  we  can  only  know  that  here  they  who  gave  them- 
selves for  their  country  lie,  let  us  move  forward  in  the  grand  march  of 
God  and  humanity,  for  the  redemption  of  this  land  unto  Christ,  and  the 
building  here  of  a  temple  that  shall  overarch  the  continent.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  These  are  the  hom^-voices  to  which  you  have  lis- 
tened; these  the  greetings,  these  the  salutations  of  those  who  know  one 
another  here.  But  stranger  voices,  foreign  voices,  speaking  in  our  own 
mother  tongue,  and  speaking  in  our  own  hereditary  faith  as  well,  wiU  not 
be  discordant  with  these  home  salutations.  We  are  glad  that  English- 
men should  see  the  house  upon  which  the  winds  came  and  the  rain  fell, 
and  against  which  the  torrents  roared,  and  it  fell  not,  because  it  was 
founded  upon  a  rock.  [Applause.]  The  first  Indian  salutation,  when  the 
wandering  feet  of  the  dusky  race  came  over  yonder  hill  to  the  Pilgrim 
encampment,  near  Burial  Hill,  was  also  in  our  own  native  tongue,  to  the 
surprise  of  our  fathers;  and  that  first  salutation,  from  the  lips  of  Sa- 
moset,  was,  ^^  Welcome,  Englishmen  1"  We  are  prepared  to  give  that 
greeting  to  our  visitors  from  abroad. 

Sir  [addressing  Dr.  Vaughan],  I  ask  you  to  stand  upon  your  feet,  that 
I  may  have  you  by  the  hand.  We  have  welcomed  you  to  our  shores  and 
to  our  hospitality,  and  I  think  we  have  become  tolerably  familiar  with 
you.    We  have  opened  our  whole  heart  to  you.     [Laughter  and  ap* 


ADDRESSES   AT   FXTH0X7TH.  373 

planse.]  We  have  said  everything  that  was  down  in  the  bottom  of  our 
heart;  it  is  all  said;  we  have  made  a  clean  breast  of  it  [Laughter];  it  is 
all  out;  there  is  nothing  more  hidden  there,  you  may  be  sure.  We  feel 
a  great  deal  better  about  it,  and  I  dare  say  you  do.  [Loud  laughter  and 
applause.]  The  relation  between  us  is  now  a  thousand-fold  more  cordial. 
We  ask  you  not  to  carry  away  any  grudge,  and  we  know  you  will  not 
[Applause.] 

REMABKS  OF  REV.  ROBERT  VAUGHAN,  D.  D.,  OF  ENGLAND. 

They  talk  about  English  fervor  sometimes;  but  to  get  up  to  American 
fervor,  I  feel  is  a  very  difficult  thing  to  do.  [Applause.]  I  am  very  glad 
of  it. 

It  is  now  one-and-twenty  years  ago  since  I  started  a  periodical  in  Eng- 
land, intended  to  vindicate  the  principles  of  Congregationalism,  and  the 
first  article  in  that  periodical  was  upon  the  Pilgrim  Fathers.  At  that 
time  English  non-conformists  were  thinking  but  very  little  about  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers,  and,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  very  little  about  American  Con- 
gregationalism ;  but  they  have  learned  to  think  a  great  deal  more  of 
them  since  that  time.  In  writing  that  article  I  had  a  map  of  this  neigh- 
borhood before  me.  I  studied  it  in  alf  its  details,  to  the  best  of  my  abil- 
ity, and  pictured  to  my  imagination  the  scenes  that  I  supposed  to  have 
taken  place  in  the  ye&T  162(X  You  will  readily  understand  that  I  have 
come  to  this  spot  to-day  with  a  good  deal  of  interest,  remembering  how 
I  felt  in  relation  to  it  in  those  distant  times.  I  have  tried  to  picture  to 
myself  that  boat  which  came  off  from  the  Mayflower;  the  dark  clouds,  as 
they  floated  through  the  sky;  the  descending  sleet,  as  it  came  upon  the 
men  who  rowed  the  boat,  and  upon  all  who  were  within  it,  and  coated 
them  over  with  ice,  as  if  they  were  dressed  in  mail;  and  how  they  land- 
ed upon  that  spot,  and  there,  amidst  the  cold,  wintry  night,  with  diffi- 
culty kindled  their  first  fire  upon  the  soil,  and  offered  up  their  first  even- 
ing prayer.  It  is  pleasant  now  to  be  able  to  see,  that  though  there  were 
things  they  hoped  to  realize  here  that  they  did  not.  Providence  was  ac- 
complishing by  them  results  greatly  beyond  anything  they  dared  to  ask 
or  think.  They  did,  as  you  are  accustomed  to  believe,  lay  the  founda- 
tions of  empire  for  this  continent;  and  it  is  delightfiil  to  me  to  feel  as- 
sured, that  what  was  done  by  them  and  those  who  came  in  their  track, 
and  which  has  become  embodied  in  your  institutions,  and  enshrined  in 
your  religious  faith,  formed  the  elements  that  are  to  leaven  your  whole 
country,  in  ages  to  come,  to  a  far  greater  degree  than  now.  It  is  a  de- 
lightful thing  to  be  able  to  see,  that  the  seeds  that  were  then  sown,  are 
seeds  which  we  can  fully  anticipate  are  to  achieve  great  things.  Chris- 
tianity itself  grew  up  in  the  world  without  observation.  It  did  not  make 
its  way  through  the  earth  from  senates  and  monarchs  downward ;  it  made 
its  way  through  the  earth  from  the  ]^ople  downward.  [Applause.]  We 
get  our  tailoring  and  our  millinery  from  court  pageants;  we  get  our 
opinions  from  ourselves.  [Applause.]  And  this  is  God's  way  of  carry- 
ing on  his  work  in  the  world. 

I  feel  sure,  my  friends,  that  you  have  a  very  imperfect  impression  of 


874  ADDRESSES   AT   PLYMOUTH. 

the  feeling  that  has  prompted  my  brethren  in  England  to  send  myself 
and  my  valued  brother,  Dr.  Raleigh,  into  the  midst  of  you.  I  am  quite 
sure  they  are  counting  the  days  until  we  get  back  again,  that  they  may 
hear  what  We  have  to  say  about  you;  and  I  am  thankful  that  we  shall  be 
able  to  t^ll  them  that  which  they  will  be  glad  to  hear.  [Applause.]  I 
am  confident  that  I  see  about  me,  in  your  midst,  the  budding  infiuences 
that  are  to  achieve  great  results  in  the  new  circumstances  in  which  Prov- 
idence has  placed  you.  When  Christianity  came  into  the  world,  two 
thirds  of  the  human  race  were  slaves  to  the  other  one  third.  Christian- 
ity was  to  sweep  away  that  The  serfdom  of  the  middle  ages  was  an- 
other form  of  servitude  that  came  into  the  place  of  the  ancient;  and  the 
last  vestige  of  that  servitude  has  been  swept  away,  to  his  infinite  honor, 
by  the  Emperor  of  Russia.  [Applause.]  And  now,  the  last  link  of  the 
slave  in  Christian  nations  may  be  virtually  said  to  have  been  struck  off 
by  you.  [Applause.]  It  is  a  great  thing  to  have  been  called  by  Provi- 
dence to  bring  that  great  evil  to  humanity  to  the  issue  to  which  we  have 
reason  to  believe  it  is  now  brought  It  would  seem  a  sad  thing,  indeed, 
that  eighteen  hundred  years  should  have  been  needed  thus  far  to  regen- 
erate the  great  mass  of  society;  but  God's  ways  are  slow;  it  has  been 
accomplished  in  his  time;  and  there  is  no  chapter  in  your  history  that 
will  be  more  to  your  honor  than  your  having  recorded  your  inextinguish- 
able antagonism  to  that  institution,  as  unchristian,  unrighteous,  and  in- 
human. [Applause.] 

I  would  just  say,  further,  the  good  men  who  came  over  here  fh>m 
England  came,  as  you  know,  not  merely  as  a  church,  but  to  found  a 
state.  The  necessities  of  their  circumstances  were  such  that  they  were 
obliged  to  do  so.  They  are  charged  with  having  enacted  exclusive  laws; 
with  having  become  great  persecutors.  I  am  quite  sure  that  portion  of 
their  history  is  but  very  imperfectly  understood.  They  came,  at  indes- 
cribable cost,  to  secure  for  themselves  the  settlement  which  they  ob- 
tained on  this  soil;  and  when  that  was  accomplished,  having  made  their 
church-membership  their  franchise,  and  founded  their  little  state,  —  the 
church  and  state  being  carried  on  by  the  same  men,  —  they  said  to  all 
the  world, "  We  have  founded  this  state  at  great  charge  and  peril  to  our- 
selves. Any  man  wishing  to  have  the  benefit  of  it  is  open  freely  to  take 
that  benefit,  but  he  must  respect  the  conditions  on  which  we  have 
founded  it  If  he  wishes  to  introduce  something  diflerent  from  what  we 
have  regarded  as  right  toward  man  and  acceptable  to  God,  the  world  is 
before  him ;  let  him  go  and  found  a  state  according  to  his  fancies.  [Ap- 
plause.] Let  us  have  that  which  has  cost  us  much,  which  is  properly 
our  own,  and  have  it  we  will;  no  one  shall  invade  it  If  the  attempt  be 
made  to  force  disorder  into  our  community,  we  will  force  that  element 
out  of  it"  Now,  sir,  if  I  had  lived  among  those  men,  I  should 
have  done  just  that  [Applause.]  *  I  should  have  taken  precisely  that 
course;  and  instead  of  its  being  a  course  at  variance  with  what  was 
Wise  and  good,  it  was  the  very  course  that  that  patriarch  of  Congrega- 
tionalism, John  Robinson,  laid  down  as  grave  counsel  for  these  early  set- 
tlers.    He  told  them  they  could  not  afibrd  to  have  their  little  settlement 


ADDRESSES    AT   FLTHOUTH.  375 

rocked  in  every  direction  by  all  varieties  of  opinion;  that  they  should 
settle  their  system  for  themselves,  and  uphold  it  until  it  could  bear  a  dif- 
ferent policy;  and  that  was  the  course  they  pursued.  It  is  a  mistake, 
therefore,  to  charge  these  men  with  having  been  narrow-minded  perse- 
cutors. They  were  wiser,  by  far,  than  the  diUetanti  critics  who  presume 
to  sit  in  judgment  upon  them.  [Loud  applause.] 

Now,  my  friends,  I  am  looking  upon  you  here  about  Boston  for  the 
last  time.  I  am  about  to  go  home  to  my  own  people  to  live  and  die 
among  them;  and  I  think  I  shall  be  able  to  do  a  little  more  good  in 
God^s  world  than  I  should  otherwise  have  done,  from  having  come  into 
this  neighborhood,  and  being  able  to  return  with  the  report  of  you  that 
I  can  take.  [Applause.]  My  countrymen  shall  know  what  has  taken 
place  here  to-day.  They  shall  know  what  has  taken  place  in  that  Coun- 
cil of  yours.  There  shall  be  a  clearing  out  of  my  heart,  as  well  as 
yours.  [Loud  applause.]  I  respect  the  man  who  does  that,  —  the  man 
who  gives  out  what  God  has  put  in  him  to-day,  as  God  has  given  it;  and 
if  he  has  something  different  to  bring  out  to-morrow,  gives  that  out  to- 
morrow. [Applause.]  I  was  in  the  midst  of  an  elite  assembly  the  other 
day  in  London,  consisting  of  a  grand  gathering  of  our  literary  men, 
who  all  got  at  loggerheads  about  something  that  was  to  be  done;  and 
after  I  had  sat  and  heard  the  quarrel  for  a  long  time,  I  said  to  them, 
"  Well,  now,  you  have  had  a  pretty  good  clearing  out  all  round.  Are 
you  EnglLshmeu?  Are  you  willing,  after  all  this,  to  shake  hands  and  go 
to  work  and  do  the  thing  that  is  to  be  done?  "  That  simple  putting  pro- 
duced at  once  a  laugh;  and  then  they  said, "  Heally,  that  is  the  best 
way; "  and  the  thing  was  done.  Let  it  be  so  here.  Let  there  be  a  clear- 
ing out  I  have  nothing  in  me  that  you. don't  know  now  [Laughter]; 
and  I  am  glad  that  you  have  called  it  out  I  shall  go  home  quite  confi- 
dent that  you  do  give  me  the  place  of  an  honest  man,  and  that  we  shaU 
love  each  other  all  the  more  for  all  this  coming  to  pass.  Our  hearts  are 
with  you.  [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  Nothing  that  has  been  said  needs  confirmation;  but 
you  know  it  is  written,  that  "  out  of  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses 
every  word  shall  be  established;"  and  we  must  go  according  to  Scrip- 
ture. I  shall  therefore  call  upon  the  colleague  of  Dr.  Vaughan,  Dr.  Ra^ 
leigh,  from  England,  Scotland,  Wales,  and  Lreland,  —  and  the  whole  oj 
Great  Britain,  [Laughter  and  applause.] 

REMARKS  OF  REV.  ALEXANDER  RALEIGH,  D.  D.,  OF  ENGLAND. 

I  shall  be  very  happy  to  take  my  part,  on  returning  to  England,  in 
the  telling  of  all  that  has  happened  to  us  here;  and  in  telling  our  Eng- 
lish brethren  who  have  sent  us,  that  we  feel  that  all  that  has  happened 
has  been,  as  we  trust,  for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  I  shall  be  very 
happy  to  see  any  of  you  on  the  English  shores;  and  if  I  knew  the  ship 
by  which  that  gentleman  who  spoke  first  yesterday  morning  [Rev.  A.  H. 
Quint]  would  come,  I  would  go  to  the  shore  to  meet  him  and  bid  him 
welcome. 


876  ADDEE38E8  AT   FLTHOUTR. 

I  did  not  know  until  to-day  that  it  was  the  shortest  day  of  all  the  year, 
the  21st  of  December,  —  a  cold,  bitter,  wintry  day,  —  when  the  Pilgrims 
landed  down  yonder.  It  is  rather  a  singular  coincidence  that  we  are  as- 
sembled here  on  the  longest  day  of  all  the  year,  —  the  22d  of  June.  — in 
the  bloom  and  hight  of  mid-summer.  ^  The  winter  is  past,  the  rains  are 
over  and  gone,  the  flowers  appear  upon  the  earth,  and  the  time  of  die 
singing  of  birds  is  come."  [Applause.]  They  landed  down  yonder,  a 
few  men,  comparatively,  representing  principles  rather  than  any  great 
number  of  persons.  We  here  to-day  may  be  said  to  be  the  representa- 
tives of  a  great  multitude,  which  could  hardly  be  numbered,  out  oi 
many  nations,  and  peoples,  and  tongues.  They  fled,  not  from  perse- 
cuting England,  but  from  England's  persecuting  government;  and  there 
is  rather  a  difference  between  these  two  things,  remember.  [Applause.] 
We  are  here  to-day.  Englishmen  and  Scotchmen,  representing,  how- 
ever imperfectly,  yet  truly,  the  best  part,  and,  I  take  leave  to  say, — 
although  that  is  not  according  to- the  document  that  was  carried  yester- 
day morning,  —  the  greatest  number  of  the  English  people,  uniting  wiih 
you,  in  cordially  honoring  the  memory  and  adopting  the  principles  of 
those  men  in  the  main.  [Applause.]  They  fled  for  shelter  and  for  safety 
in  the  wilderness;  and  now  the  wilderness  has  been  changed  into  a  fruit- 
ful field,  and  you  have  made  this  place  now  more  than  ever  an  asylum 
and  home  for  the  oppressed  of  all  the  world.  What  a  change  I  And 
yet,  I  bethink  me  to-day,  "  that  which  hath  been  is  now,  and  that  which 
is  to  be  hath  already  been;  and  God  requireth  that  which  is  past"  I 
look  aroimd  upon  you,  American  citizens,  who  have  struggled  and  fought 
and  bled  in  your  representatives  and  servants,  and  I  say,  Are  you  not 
standing  to-day  in  that  shadow  of  Calvary  in  which  the  Pilgrims  stood, 
and  which  is  over  all  the  earth?  Have  you  not  been  drinking  of  their 
cup?  Have  you  not  been  baptized  with  their  baptism?  Have  you  not 
been  fighting,  under  different  conditions,  and  in  a  wider  field,  the  same 
battle  of  freedom  which  they  fought  in  their  expatriation  and  life-long 
endurance?  I  feel  it  an  honor  to-day,  —  I  speak  solemnly,  and  as  in  the 
presence  of  God,  —  I  feel  it  an  honor  to  be  permitted  to  stand  here  in 
your  presence,  and  to  assert  my  solemn  belief  that  you  never  so  much  as 
now  were  worthy  to  call  yourselves  the  sons  of  those  great  fathers. 
That  social  state  which  they  founded  you  have  guarded,  you  have  de- 
fended, you  have  preserved,  you  have  laid,  if  I  mistake  not,  on  a  more 
solid  if  not  wider  basis  than  at  first.  You  have  fought,  as  I  said,  the 
self-same  battle,  —  a  battie  extending  over  a  wide  continent,  continuing, 
without  interruption,  through  four  long,  weary  years;  but  the  fruits  ol 
it  who  can  number  or  tell?  Liberty  to  the  slave,  —  elevation  to  the 
South,  —  the  hand  of  true  brotherhood  to  all  free  nations,  and  all  nations 
that  wish  to  be  free  I  '  Your  own  part,  in  short,  and  that  not  a  littie  part, 
in  that  benediction  from  on  high,  ^'  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  on 
earth  peace,  and  good- will  among  men  I  "  [Loud  applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  May  it  please  the  court,  —  we  desire  to  swear  in 
one  more  witness  to  this  point  You  will  hear  the  testimony  of  Dr. 
Massie,  who  is  invited  to  take  the  stand. 


ADDRESSES   AT   FLTM0I7TH.  877 

REMARKS  OF  REV.  JAMES  W.  MASSIE,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  OF  ENGLAND. 

I  wish  I  were  qualified  to  do  justice  to  the  subject,  to  the  scene,  and 
to  my  own  feelings.  But  "  I  am  no  orator,  as  Brutus  is."  [Applause.] 
I  can  not  "  put  a  tongue  in  every  wound  "  of  your  country,  and  make  it 
speak  as  it  ought  to  speak,  to  stir  you  on,  not  to  a  "  flood  of  mutiny," 
but  to  a  flow  of  love  between  yourselves,  and  between  America  and 
England.  [Applause.]  I  have  met  many  during  the  proceedings  of 
this  Council  who  have  taken  me  by  the  hand  and  have  asked  if  I  was 
indeed  Dr.  Massie,  and  expressed  their  thanks  for  the  humble  services 
that  I  tried  to  render  your  country  two  years  ago,  and  that  I  have  been 
trying  to  render  to  your  cause  during  the  interval  of  my  return  to 
England  until  the  present  hour.  [Applause.]  I  know  what  England  is. 
I  have  met  the  operative  classes,  and  the  skilled  mechanics  of  the  coun- 
try, in  all  parts  of  England,  and  in  that  part  of  the  kingdom  of  which 
my  friend  Dr.  Raleigh  is  so  proud,  and  to  which  I  belong  as  well  as  he, 
—  for  I  am  of  the  good  Scotch  blood  that  he  so  rejoices  in,  —  I  say  I 
liave  met  the  mechanics  of  that  country,  even  to  the  shipwrights,  and 
some  of  them  building  vessels  that  were  designed  to  run  the  blockade, 
or  to  fight  the  battles  of  piracy,  and  I  have  challenged  them  to  come 
upon  the  floor  and  answer  for  it  whether  they,  with  their  hard  hands, 
-could  sympathize  with  the  ministers  of  oppression,  who  only  sought  to 
establish  the  Confederacy  that  they  might  put  down  labor  and  its  rights 
amongst  men.  [Applause.]  I  know  what  the  middle  classes  of  England 
are,  for  I  have  been  engaged  by  them,  sustained  by  them;  I  know  their 
"benevolence  and  liberality;  and  I  say  that  the  men  who  are  the  cream 
of  the  middle  classes  of  England  are  with  America.  I  have  said  to  Dr. 
Baleigh  to-day,  that  my  firm  conviction  is  that  three  fifths  of  the  popu- 
lation of  England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland  are  with  the  North,  and  have 
been  with  the  North,  through  all  its  struggle  until  this  hour.  [Applause.] 
I  went  to  the  borough  of  Mr.  Lindsey,  the  member  of  Parliament  who 
stood  up  in  the  house  and  confessed  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  the  folly 
of  going  to  Louis  Napoleon,  in  order  that  they  might  confer  for  the 
recognition  of  the  South.  I  went  to  his  borough,  and  met  a  committee 
of  his  representatives,  and  defied  them  to  sustain  him  in  his  infamous 
conduct;  and  they  felt  that  it  was  needful  he  should  go  down  to  soothe 
them,  to  s])eak  sweet  words  to  them,  after  I  had  had  two  full  meetings 
of  his  constituents,  and  lectured  for  an  hour  and  a  half  on  America;  and 
then  they  did  not  dare  to  put  a  resolution  in  his  favor  to  the  audience. 

Do  not,  therefore,  suppose  that  we  three  individuals  are  the  representa- 
tives of  a  fraction  only  of  England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland.  I  dare  say 
there  is  another  fifth  who  are  for  you  now.  [Applause.]  I  dare  say 
the  "  Times  "  will  tell  you  that  Jefferson  Davis  has  sacrificed  his  party 
by  stupidity  [Laughter]  ;  that  Gen.  Lee,  after  all,  was  no  great  general 
[Renewed  laughter] ;  and  that,  in  fact,  the  Southern  party  have  alto- 
gether failed  because  they  were  not  fit  to  be  an  empire  I  [Merriment] 
Take  the  "  Times,"  and  you  will  take  a  lying  slanderer  for  your  witness, 
only  fit  to  be  the  companion  of  your  own  "  New  York  Herald."  [Laughter 
and  applause.]  Nay,  it  is  fed  upon  the  garbage  that  has  flowed  through 


878  ADDRESSES   AT   FLTMOUTH. 

the  Bewer  of  the  "  Herald  "  office.  Don't  suppose  that  it  represents  the 
English  public  opinion;  it  may  try  to  catch  it  sometimes,  and  try  to  mis- 
represent it  The  "  Daily  News,"  the  "  Morning  Star,"  the  Manchester 
"  Examiner  and  Times,"  the  Leeds  "  Mercury,"  the  '*  Caledonian  Mer- 
cury," the  "  Spectator,"  of  London,  and  a  dozen  other  papers  that  I  could 
name,  would  tell  you  what  England  is  a  thousand  times  better  than  the 
'*  Times  "  does.    [Applause.] 

But  I  am  not  here  to  talk  of  these  things,  as  if  you  needed  to  be  per- 
suaded toward  our  country;  nor  am  I  here  to  speak  on  behalf  of  my 
brethren,  who  have  so  well  spoken  for  themselves.  I  am  sure,  however, 
that  Dr.  Vaughan  never  would  have  set  his  foot  upon  the  American  shore, 
if  he  had  not  been  satisfied  it  was  his  duty  to  come,  and  if  he  had  not 
been  determined  to  do  his  duty  to  you,  as  a  faithful  witness  and  friend 
of  liberty,  and  the  champion  of  the  truth  everywhere.  [Applause.]  I 
can  not  pretend  or  profess  to  describe  what  I  have  seen  during  the  last 
ten  days.  I  have  been  to  Niagara  and  marked  the  Falls  there,  and  read 
descriptions  of  them,  and  I  have  wondered  that  men  would  attempt  to 
describe  Niagara.  Why,  they  might  as  well  attempt  to  fathom  every 
foot  of  the  ocean  deep.  And  I  rather  think  my  friend.  Dr.  Vaughan,  will 
find  it  a  task  to  tell  what  he  has  seen  and  what  he  has  yet  to  see  in  this 
vast  country.  [Applause.]  He  is  going  to  New  York,  to  Washington, 
to  Richmond,  to  Chicago,  to  the  Mississippi.  Let  him  roll  the  waters 
of  the  Mississippi  back  again,  and  then  he  will  be  able  to  describe  a 
country  whose  arms  stretch  out  to  the  farthest  heavens,  whose  riches  go 
down  to  the  deepest  depths,  and  whose  population  are  destined,  in  my 
humble  judgment,  to  be  the  mightiest  people  in  the  earth.  [Applause.] 
I  wish  we  could  get  a  united  banner.  [Applause.]  I  wish  the  Union 
Jack  might  be  in  the  right  corner,  and  the  stars  —  I  wont  say  in  the  left 
[Laughter]  —  the  stars  in  their  own  proper  places  [Applause]  —  that 
England  and  America  might  be  one  in  the  missions  that  are  to  be  con- 
ducted amongst  your  colored  people,  —  missions  that  are,  I  trust,  to  be 
conducted  with  the  same  efficiency  and  fidelity  that  characterize  the 
management  of  your  foreign  missions.  I  have  divided  my  bread  with 
the  American  missionary.  I  have  been  welcomed  as  a  guest  in  the 
American  Mission  House,  in  India;  I  have  traversed  that  country  in 
company  with  American  missionaries;  I  went  forth  with  Gordon  Hall 
in  the  last  journey  that  devoted  servant  of  God  took,  when  he  died  upon 
the  way,  serving  his  Master;  and  I  tell  you,  that  as  far  as  I  can  judge 
from  my  reading  and  from  my  personal  intercourse,  there  is  not,  in  all 
the  branches  of  the  church  of  God,  a  more  faithful,  a  more  efficient 
body,  a  body  more  worthy  of  the  confidence  of  those  who  send  them, 
and  of  those  who  meet  them,  than  the  men  and  women  who  are  mission- 
aries from  America  to  heathen  lands.  [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  There  was  a  blending,  in  the  earlier  days,  the  old 
days  of  storm  and  strife,  of  a  foreign  flag  with  ours.  We  shall  never 
forget  that  the  flag  of  France  was  blended  with  the  stars  and  stripes  in 
those  early  days.  Old  France  was  with  young  America  then;  and 
though  America  is  a  little  older  now,  she  is  still  youthful  America;  and 


ADDRESSES   AT   PLYMOUTH.  879 

young  Prance  is,  in  her  heart  of  hearts,  with  us.  And,  on  this  shore,  no 
person  could  more  fitly  represent  young  France  than  our  young  brother 
Monod,  &om  Paris. 

REMARKS  OF  REV.  THEODORE  MONOD,  OF  FRANCE. 

Mr,  Moderator^  Ladies  ai^d  Gentlemen^  —  It  is  with  great  joy  and  with 
honest  pride  that  I  find  myself  here  to-day,  the  representative  of  the 
land  of  Lafayette  in  the  land  of  Washington;  and,  what  is  higher  yet, 
the  representative  of  the  land  of  Calvin  in  the  land  of  the  Pilgrims. 
[Applause.]  What  I  feel  this  day,  I  will  not  even  attempt  to  describe 
to  you.  I  cannot  describe  it  to  myself.  But  this  one  great  thought  seems 
to  underlie  all  the  others,  —  that  we  are  brougbt  face  to  face  with  what 
is  the  very  source  of  all  your  greatness  and  of  all  your  influence,  — yea, 
of  your  very  life.  We  have  been  hearing  and  we  have  been  talking, 
during  these  last  days,  of  that  great  war  into  which  and  through  which 
and  out  of  which  the  hand  of  tiod  has  led  you;  and  although  our  minds 
were  lifted  up  so  high,  and  our  hearts  glowed  with  such  warmth  of  feel- 
ing, that  it  seemed  as  though  there  could  hardly  be  a  higher  or  a  warmer 
feeling,  yet  I  do  feel  that  all  this,  —  the  overthrow  of  this  rebellion,  the 
future  that  lies  before  you,  the  work  that  you  have  in  your  hands,  is 
comparatively  a  small  thing,  if  you  put  it  side  by  side  with  what  we  see, 
or,  rather,  what  we  think  of  to-day.  What  would  your  nation  be  worth 
without  the  faith  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers?  That  monument  on  Bunker 
Hill  is  a  great  monument,  and  1776  is  a  glorious  year;  but  all  that,  even, 
fades  away  before  the  glory  of  the  light  that  shines  from  this  place. 
[Applause.]  What  would  liberty  itself  bo  worth  without  the  faith  of 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers?  Liberty  is  nothing  but  an  instrument;  and  what 
is  liberty  good  for  unless  it  has  the  grace  of  God  to  inspire  it,  —  unless  it 
has  the  glory  of  God  for  its  aim,  and  the  laws  of  God  for  its  bounds? 
[Applause.] 

Here,  then,  we  are  brought  face  to  face  with  these  PDgrim  Fathers ; 
and  when  we  reach  them,  —  ah  I  we  have  not  reached  the  foundation  yet; 
and  they  would  be  the  first  to  tell  us  so,  —  we  reach  to  God  in  them. 
And  if  there  is  a  feeling  to-day  in  our  hearts,  it  is  the  feeling  that  God  is 
here;  that  God  who  was  here,  who  is  here,  and  who  will  bo  here,  "  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever."  And  if  you  would  (and  you  know 
this  far  better  than  I  do)  carry  on  the  work  that  lies  before  you,  if  you 
would  remain  the  home  of  liberty  and  the  hope  of  mankind,  if  you 
would  remain  as  a  light-house  on  the  ocean  shore  to  all  the  people  of  the 
earth,  be  true  to  the  faith  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  who  are  o\ir  fathers 
also;  for  did  they  not  bring  from  us,  —  not  only  from  England,  but 
from  us  over  in  Holland  and  in  France,  from  Calvin  and  others, —  the 
glorious  truth  that  they  brought  with  them  here?  This  is  what  I  need 
not  say  here;  but  oh,  how  I  need  to  say  it  in  France  I  Oh,  that  I  may 
say  it  with  more  intelligence  and  earnestness  than  ever  before  I  We 
have  some  intelligent  writers  in  Paris  who  speak  of  America,  and  who 
say,  "  There  is  liberty  there,  and  every  man  respects  the  rights  of  every 
other  man,  and  that  is  a  very  fine  thing; "  and  they  want  us  to  have 


880  ADDRESSES  AT   PLTMOXTTH. 

American  infititutions  as  far  as  we  are  able.  Then  thej  saj,  *^  In  Amer- 
ica, they  have  a  great  many  inventions, — they  have  the  sewing-machine, 
and  many  other  things.  Why,  they  read  the  Bible  in  the  morning  and 
the  evening  in  their  families,  and  they  have  a  great  deal  of  preaching.'^ 
They  just  dispose  of  the  whole  subject  of  Bible  preaching  as  they  would 
tell  that  yon  have  rocking-chairs  in  your  houses.  They  seem  to 
take  it  as  an  incident  of  American  life;  they  do  not  look  upon  it  as 
a  vital  principle.  That  is  what  we  want  to  learn  from  you.  And 
in  order  that  we  may  learn  from  you,  you  must  continue  to  teach  us, 
and  teach  us  more  and  more.  You  must  go  on  and  on,  in  view  of  the 
great  work  you  want  to  do,  ^  seeking  first  the  kingdom  of  Ood  and  his 
righteousness,  and  all  things  else  shall  be  added  unto  you.'^  [Applause.] 

But  I  will  not  preach  to  you  myselfl  I  will  read  to  you  a  sentence 
that  I  copied  from  the  grave  of  Hobert  Cushman.  "  You,"  he  says, 
^  my  loving  friends  "  (and  I  may  well  call  you  *'  my  loving  friends  ")i 
^  the  adventurers  to  this  plantation,  as  your  care  has  been  first  to  settle 
religion  before  either  profit  or  popularity,  so,  I  pray  you,  go  on."  You 
go  on;  be  true  to  yourselves;  be  true  to  Greorge  Washington;  be 
true  to  Abraham  Lincoln.  [Applause.]  Aye,  more:  be  true  to  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers;  be  true  to  the  world  that  looks  upon  you.  And  you  will 
do  all  this,  if  you  are  true  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  [Loud  applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  Now  we  come  back  from  over  the  sea;  and  I  am 
going  to  cross  the  breadth  of  the  continent,  to  the  very  shores  of  the 
Mississippi,  that  the  tide  of  the  "  Father  of  Waters  "  may  answer  back 
to  the  voice  of  "  the  bay  where  the  Mayflower  lay."  While  I  am  step- 
ping over  the  Alleghanies  for  Dr.  Post,  I  will  ask  Dr.  Adams,  of  Maine, 
to  sing  the  '^  Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic." 

Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe's  popular  hymn  was  sung  by  Dr. 
Adams  with  thrilling  effect,  the  audience  very  generally  joining 
in  the  chorus. 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  While  Dr.  Post  is  coming  over  the  Alleghanies,  I 
will  say  that  we  have  just  twelve  minutes  to  remain  here,  which  will  give 
us  an  opportunity  to  hear  four  speeches  of  three  minutes  each.  [Laugh- 
ter.] 

REMARKS  OF  REV.  TRUMAN  M.  POST,  D.  D.,  OF  MISSOURI. 

Mr.  President^  Qentlemen  and  Ladies,  —  I  feel  oppressed  as  I  stand  in 
this  place,  and  am  called  upon  in  three  minutes  to  say  anything  worthy 
of  the  position;  but  I  will  say,  in  the  first  place,  that  I  am  glad,  I  re- 
joice, that  at  these  portals,  through  which  History  entered  this  new 
world,  we  commune  together  to-day,  not  only  with  each  other,  but  with 
representatives  from  the  old  world ;  and  I  feel  that  it  is  fitting  we  should 
do  it  here,  rather  than  in  Boston  harbor. 

We  have  been  engaged  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  in  a  mighty 
experiment    When,  from  the  storm  and  conflagration  of  war  that  en;vel- 


ADDRESSES    AT  PLYMOUTH.  381 

oped  the  old  world,  like  a  frightened  bird  emerging  from  the  tempest 
was  seen  the  Mayflower  hovering  off  your  coast,  when  it  to'led  its  sails 
within  the  harbor  of  Plymouth,  it  seems  to  me,  in  looking  upon  that 
scene,  that  I  see  emerging  from  that  ship,  not  simply  human  personali- 
ties, but  the  representatives  of  mighty  principles,  vast  ideas,  that,  emerg- 
ing from  the  conflict  of  the  old  world,  the  baptism  of  blood  and  tears, 
and  the  storms  of  the  great  deep,  touched  these  hills,  and  sent  a  thrill  ^ 
that  is  to  stretch  through  the  ages  and  through  the  length  and  breadth 
of  this  continent,  till  time  shall  be  no  more.    [Applause.] 

To-day  we  inquire,  what  has  been  the  history  of  those  principles  since 
that  hour;  and  I  seemed  to  see,  as  we  stood  upon  that  hill,  forms  that 
were  not  walking  among  us  or  of  us,  that  came  from  other  times  and 
inquired  of  us  what  we  were  dcAng  with  that  which  they  brought  to  work 
thus  mightily  here.  And  we  could  point  to  states  and  empires  that  have 
been  gathered  and  built  up  in  the  far  West ;  we  could  point  to  the 
achievement  of  the  liberties  of  a  great  nation;  to  mighty  works  wrought 
in  the  name  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  and  the  rights  of  man.  But, 
alas!  a  bloody  gulf  rose  up  before  us,  and  in  it  there  was  another  form 
emergent;  and  that  form  had  well-nigh  stricken  down  those  ideas  which 
came  forthrin  the  persons  of  Winthrop  and  Bradford  and  Brewster, — 
and  that  were  represented,  too,  by  the  lovely  Rose '  that  came  so  soon  to 
wither  in  the  frosts  of  the  new  world.  There  had  been  a  struggle  be- 
tween the  light  and  the  darkness,  and  from  that  struggle  the  principles 
of  light  had  at  last  come  forth  triumphant,  and  we  could  point  this  day 
with  exultation  to  the  fact,  not  only  that  from  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic 
to  the  golden  coast  of  the  Pacific,  yonder  beauteous  and  glorious  emblem 
lifted  its  folds  to  the  breeze  triumphant,  but  that  with  it  had  gone  their 
principles  and  their  ideas,  and  they  were  this  hour  ascendant 

I  will  not  detain  you  longer,  brethren,  with  my  three  minutes'  speech; 
but  I  bid  you,  in  the  presence  of  the  genius  of  this  place,  in  the  midst  of 
these  friends  that  are  around  us,  in  the  presence  of  friends  from  other 
parts  of  the  world,  and  of  those  who  have  come  up  here  from  other  ages 
to  meet  us  in  the  light  of  this  descending  sun,  farewell.  Brothers,  let  us 
stand  together,  and  not  only  cover  this  continent  with  our  institutions  of 
liberty,  but  with  those  principles  of  eternal  truth  that  this  day  we  have 
sworn  to  again  upon  the  graves  of  our  fathers.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone.  It  would  be  pleasant  to  have  at  least  one  voice  from 
the  Capitol.  There  is  a  United  States  senator  somewhere  in  the  grounds, 
whose  voice  has  always  been  true  to  liberty,  and  the  first  principles  of 
an  old  Puritan  faith,  against  any  and  every  antagonism.  [Voices — 
"  Wilson  "  —  "  Wilson."]  As  you  have  introduced  him,  I  need  not  name 
him. 

Senator  Wilson  not  appearing,  the  chairman  continued,  — 

While  Senator  Wilson  is  trying,  timidly,  to  approach,  —  as  he  also  is 
known  to  be  a  sensitive  and  shrinking  man  [Laughter]  —  I  will  cover  his 
approach  by  asking  you  to  listen  to  a  voice  from  New  Haven,  Conn. 

^  The  wife  of  CapUin  SUndlah  died  Jan.  29, 1621,  a  month  after  the  landing. 


382  ADDRESSES  AT  FLTMOUTH. 

REMARKS  OF  REV.  LEONARD  BACON,  D.  D.,  OF  CONNECTICUT. 

What  is  the  use  of  a  man,  who  is  essentially  long-winded,  undertaking 
to  make  a  speech  in  three  minutes? 

Rev.  Di*.  Stone.    You  shall  have  five. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  Well,  I  have  only  one  thing  to  say,  and  I  will  say 
it  in  short  meter.  I  would  like  to  make  quite  a  circuitous  approach  to 
it,  but  I  will  come  right  up.  [Laughter  and  applause.]  We  sometimes, 
heretofore,  have  talked  of  the  mother  country,  and  have  recognized  our 
English  friends  as  the  elder  branch  of  the  family.  This  late  war  of  ours, 
in  the  providence  of  God,  was  a  war  of  independence.  Our  political  in- 
dependence was  recognized  in  the  year  1783;  but  our  social,  moral,  and 
intellectual  independence  has  not  been  recognized  heretofore,  and  we 
have  not  been  conscious  of  it  ourselves.  I  said  to  some  of  our  English 
friends,  four  years  ago,  "  At  the  end  of  this  war,  when  we  come  out  vic- 
torious over  all  the  powers  of  evil,  and  this  broad  continent  is  never 
more  to  be  cursed  with  the  footstep  of  a  slave,  we  shall  set  up  to  be  the 
elder  branch  of  the  family "  [Applause] ;  and  what  our  brethren  have 
been  saying  to  us  to-day  and  yesterday,  gives  the  explanation  of  that 
prophecy.  You  know  the  prophets  always  spoke  in  a  double  sense,  and 
didn't  know  the  extent  of  what  they  said.  The  principles  that  came  in 
at  this  gate  of  history  are  victorious  not  only  here,  but  henceforth  in 
England;  and  not  this  "boundless  continent"  alone  is  theirs,  but  that 
boundless  continent  also  is  theirs,  by  a  predestination  that  is  at  last  re- 
vealed. The  principles  of  liberty,  civil  and  religious;  the  principles  of 
indefinite  progress;  the  principles  of  universal  human  welfare,  that,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  were  embarked  on  board  the  Mayfiower,  and  that  be- 
gan to  be  planted  here  two  hundred  and  forty-four  years  and  six  months 
ago  this  day,  —  those  principles  are  yet  to  receive  the  homage  of  all  aris- 
tocrats, of  all  imperial  thrones,  for  those  principles  are  the  Gospel  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  and  the  day  is  dawning  when  a  voice 
shall  be  heard  on  high,  saying,  "  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become 
the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever."  [Voices  — 
"Amen  I"] 

As  I  came  in  sight  of  this  harbor  this  morning,  — I  never  saw  it  be- 
fore— 

A  Voice.    You  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  it 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  I  am  not,  because  I  have  been,  all  my  life,  a  labor- 
ing man,  and  never  had  time  to  indulge  in  the  pleasures  of  sentimental- 
ity. Forty  years  ago,  for  the  first  time,  I  entered  Boston;  and  I  have 
been  in  Boston  a  great  many  times,  and  have  passed  through  Charles- 
town  a  great  many  times;  but  the  first  time  I  ever  saw  Bunker  Hill  was 
last  Saturday;  the  first  time  that  ever  I  stood  within  the  walls  of  Fan- 
euil  Hall  was  yesterday;  and  to-day  is  the  first  time  I  ever  was  at  Plym- 
outh.   I  am  going,  by  and  by,  to  a  better  Plymouth  than  this. 

I  was  about  to  say,  that  I  was  thinking,  as  I  came  in  sight  of  this 
harbor,  and  the  spot  was  pointed  out  to  me  where  the  shallop  rounded 
the  point  and  came  so  near  being  wrecked,  why  it  was  that  they  were 


ADDRESSES   AT   FLTMOUTH.  383 

saved.  It  was  because  of  Calvinism.  That  explains  it  all.  The  des- 
tiny of  the  world  was  in  that  shallop.  Caesar  was  a  bit  of  a  Calvinist 
when  he  told  the  pilot  not  to  be  afraid,  for  the  boat  in  which  he  sailed 
carried  the  fortune  of  CaBsar.  That  shallop  could  mot  be  wrecked,  be- 
cause the  defttiny  of  the  world  —  God's  purposes  —  were  in  that  boat 
And  so  it  rounded  the  point  in  the  darkness,  shot  into  the  calm  and  tran- 
quil waters  of  the  harbor;  and  the  destiny  of  the  world  was  safe,  be- 
cause it  was  in  the  hollow  of  God's  hand;  safe  until 

"  The  waves  of  the  bay  where  the  Mayflower  lay 
Shall  foam  and  freeze  no  more." 

Kev.  Dr.  Stone.    Now,  is  that  lost  senator  here?  [Yoices  —  *'No, 
sir."]    Then  shall  we  not,  before  we  join  in  the  Doxology,  have  a  voice 
from  Brooklyn    Hights?    Mr.  Beecher  is  not  here;  but  we  can  have  a 
voice  from  those  Ilights,  if  you  desire  it    I  will  call  upon  the  Rev.  Dr 
Budington. 

REMARKS  OF  REV.  WILLIAM  L  BUDINGTON,  D.  D.,  OF  NEW  YORK- 

I  will  say  one  word,  brethren  and  friends.  I  will  say  this:  that  I  un- 
derstand to-day,  as  I  never  did  before,  that  our  Congregationalism  is  a 
spiritual  power,  a  history.  Multitudes,  who  have  gone  to  Xiagara,  say 
that  they  were  disappointed.  Multitudes,  who  have  come  to  Plymouth, 
have  said  they  were  disappointed;  that  Plymouth  Rock,  of  which  we 
have  heard  so  much,  has  disappeared  in  the  soil  of  America.  It  scarcely 
crops  out  above  ground ;  while  the  graves  of  the  fathers  are  not  to  be 
found.  John  Robinson-s  house,  in  Leyden,  can  not  be  made  pilgrimages 
to;  the  graves  of  the  honored  and  beloved  dead  here  can  not  be  made  a 
pilgrimage  to.  Why?  Because  the  cause  of  truth,  which  the  Pilgrims 
bore  to  our  shore,  is  a  spiritual  one;  and  that  spirit  is  now  taken  to  the 
very  ends  of  the  continent.  And  I  (;laim  to-day  Abraham  Lincoln  as 
the  main  agent  who  has  consummated  the  Puritan  spirit  and  Puritan 
history.  [Applause.]  It  fell  to  me  last  autumn,  as  the  mouthpiece  of 
the  Congregational  Association  of  New  York,  to  carry  loyal  resolutions 
down  to  Washington,  and  lay  thetti  before  our  now  martyred  president. 
I  told  him  that  I  came  to  him  with  principles  that  landed  more  than  two 
centuries  ago  on  Plymouth  Rock;  that  I  came  to  him  in  the  name  of 
the  advocates  of  those  principles  that  were  now  spread  across  the  conti- 
nent; that  we  believed  the  war  then  raging,  and  over  which  he  was  pre- 
siding, was  a  war  that  had  grown  distinctly  out  of  the  cause  that 
landed  on  Plymouth  Rock;  and  that  every  man,  woman,  and  child  of 
the  sons  of  the  Pilgrims  was  with  him.  And  what  do  you  think  our 
president  said?  Looking  me  steadily  in  the  eyes,  and  elongating  that 
form  of  his,  his  eyes  flashing  upon  me,  he  said,  "  Sir,  I  think  that  is  ex- 
actly the  state  of  the  case."  [Applause.] 

The  Doxology,  "  Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 
&c.,  was  then  sung,  after  which,  the  company  hastened  to  the 
cars,  and  returned  to  Boston,  having  spent  a  most  delightful 
and  profitable  day. 


384  DECLARATION    OF    FAITH.  —  MISCELLANEOUS. 

NINTH   DAY,    FKIDAY,  JUNE  23. 

The  Council  was  called  to  order,  and  opened  by  prayer,  at  9 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  by  the  First  Assistant  Moderator,  Hon.  C.  6. 
Hammond,  of  Illinois. 

The  Scribe  read  the  proceedings  of  the  last  two  days,  and  the 
record  was  approved. 

DECLABATION   OF  FAITH. 

The  first  business  in  order  was  the  appointment,  by  ballot,  of 
a  committee  to  revise  the  Declaration  of  Faith  in  its  phrase- 
ology. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut,  the  vote  re- 
quiring the  committee  to  be  nominated  by  ballot  was  reconsidered. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts,  a  committee 
of  three,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Moderators  of  the  Council,  was 
substituted. 

PINAL   ADJOURNMENT. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  the  Business  Committee,  reported  that, 
according  to  present  appearances,  a  day  or  two  of  next  week 
would  probably  be  required  to  finish  the  business  of  the 
Council. 

Rev.  Dr.  Holbrook,  of  New  York,  moved  that  the  committee 
be  instructed  to  arrange  matters  if  possible  so  as  to  adjourn  to- 
morrow at  the  usual  hour.  A  large  proportion  of  the  members, 
to  his  knowledge,  would  leave  this  week,  and  the  important 
matters  should  first  be  acted  upon. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  stated  that  the  business  could  not 
be  finished  without  restricting  debate  to  an  extent  the  commit- 
tee did  not  feel  authorized  or  disposed  to  recommend. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver  and  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon  were  opposed  to  the 
motion. 

Rev.  Dr.  Holbrook  modified  his  motion,  so  as  to  instruct  the 
committee  to  present  the  more  important  matters  for.  action 
first. 

The  motion,  as  modified,  was  laid  upon  the  table. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

The  thanks  of  the  Council  were  tendered  to  the  Hon.  Collector 


FBOTEST. MINISTERIAL   SUPPORT.  385 

Goodrich,  for  his  polite  inyitation  to  the  Council  to  make  an 
excursion  down  the  harbor. 

The  Business  Committee  reported  the  order  of  business  for 
the  morning  session  of  to-day. 

On  motion,  the  order  was  amended  so  as  to  bring  the  report 
upon  systematic  benevolence  before  the  report  on  the  Congre- 
gational House ;  —  ayes  85 ;  noes  49. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bouton,  of  New  Hampshire,  moved  that  a  committee 
be  appointed  to  express  the  views  of  the  Council  in  regard  to  the 
first  report  upon  the  Declaration  of  Faith. 

The  motion  was  laid  upon  the  table. 

PROTEST. 

Kev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  I  rise  to  a  question  of  privilege. 
At  Plymouth,  yesterday,  on  Burial  Hill,  I  entered  my  protest  against  a 
paper  then  read  by  Brother  Quint,  and  was  specially  desired  by  the  Mod- 
erator to  present  the  same  in  writing  after  the  adjournment  to  this  place. 
When  I  entered  my  protest,  it  was,  on  my  part,  imexpected,  unpremedv 
tated,  and  entirely  extemporaneous,  growing  out  of  the  character  of  the 
paper  as  then  and  there  presented.  I  now  take  the  earliest  opportunity 
to  present  that  protest  in  the  entire  spirit  of  it,  and,  as  nearly  as  I  can 
recollect,  in  the  exact  words: 

"  Standing  over  the  ashes  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  and  on  the  summit 
of  this  hill  consecrated  to  their  memory,  I  solemnly  protest  against  the 
adoption  of  the  paper  here  and  now  presented,  as  being  too  sectarian  f6r 
their  catholic  spirit,  and  too  narrow  to  comprehend  the  breadth  of  their 
principles  of  religious  freedom." 

On  motion  of  Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois  (the  Moderator 
having  taken  the  chair), 

The  protest  was  accepted,  and  ordered  to  be  placed  on  the 
minutes  of  the  Coimcil. 

The  following  members  were  appointed  as  the  committee 
upon  verbal  revision  of  the  Declaration  of  Faith : 

Rev.  William  A.  Stearns,  D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts., 
Rev.  AViLLiAM  W.  Patton,  D.  D.,  of  Illinois. 
Rev.  Julius  A.  Reed,  of  Iowa. 

MINISTERIAL  SUPPORT. 

Hon.  Edward  D.  HoLTON,  of  Wisconsin,  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  the  paper  on  Ministerial  Support,  made  the  following 
verbal  report : 

25 


886  MINISTERIAL    SUPPORT. 

The  committee  felt  themselves  embarrassed  by  the  magnitude  of  the 
question  submitted  to  them,  and  the  subject  matters  that  were  perpetu- 
ally pressing  upon  them.  They  drew  up  sundry  resolutions,  which  at 
one  time  they  adopted;  but  finally  reconsidered  them,  and  laid  them  all 
aside.  There  came  before  them  complaints  of  the  meager  and  inade- 
quate support  of  the  ministry.  There  was  testimony  as  to  the  meanness 
and  narrowness  of  societies,  to  a  degree  that  was  truly  painful.  But 
upon  the  whole,  looking  carefidly  over  the  admirable  paper  of  Dr.  Shep- 
ard,  we  concluded  that  we  could  add  nothing  to  what  he  had  said  upon 
that  point  That  report  recommends  the  system  of  ownership  of  the 
property,  so  that  the  pews  can  be  rented  for  the  support  of  the  ministry. 
But  in  new  communities  this  can  not  exist,  or  must  be  meager  at  best, 
and  the  old  method  of  subscription  must  still  be  resorted  to.  The  report 
of  Dr.  Shepard  deprecated  resorting  to  festivals  as  a  method  of  eking 
out  the  support  of  the  ministry.  Your  committee,  while  they  would  not 
discard  this  pleasant  method  of  contributing  to  charitable  objects,  agree 
with  the  original  report  in  deprecating  its  use  in  the  support  of  the  min- 
istry. 

Your  committee  are  also  of  opinion  that  the  societies  of  our  denomina- 
tion who  may  hereafter  build  churches,  should  not,  by  the  selection  of  a 
miserable  place,  and  the  erection  of  a  wretched  house  of  worship,  un- 
*sightly  to  behold,  entail  upon  their  societies  a  living  death,  and  such  cir- 
cumstances that  it  will  ever  be  almost  impossible  to  establish  or  sustain 
a  ministry  in  such  places.  The  papal  churches  select  the  sightly  and 
beautiful  places  throughout  the  laud  to  erect  their  edifices  upon;  and 
make  them  commodious  and  handsome,  that  the  youth  of  the  community 
may  be  attracted  there.  So  should  we  pay  such  attention  to  the  exter- 
nal surroundings  of  the  house  of  worship,  and  make  the  associations  so 
pleasant,  that  the  minister  may  be  able  to  call  around  him  those  of  suffi- 
cient ability  to  contribute  to  his  support.  But  considering  this  subject 
as  rather  belonging  to  the  Committee  on  Church  Building  than  to  them- 
selves, they  left  it  out  of  their  report 

Your  Committee  testify  to  the  nobleness  and  great-heartedness  of 
many  brethren  scattered  through  the  churches,  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  land,  and  hope  that  it  may  incite  a  like-minded  liberality 
among  them  everywhere.  The  question  of  extravagant  salaries  paid  by 
some  churches  also  came  to  the  attention  of  the  Committee;  and  they 
recommend  that  while  good  salaries  be  given,  the  societies  give  more  to 
missionary  associations,  instead  of  inciting  undue  ambition  among  the 
ministry  in  that  direction. 

But  after  all,  your  Committee  considered  that  this  Council  was  not 
one  of  cardinals  and  popes,  to  give  direction  and  instruction  to  Congre- 
gational bodies,  how  they  should  act,  and  they  therefore  laid  aside  all 
their  resolutions,  and  present  the  following  report: 

"  The  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  paper  submitted  to  this 

Council  by  the  preliminary  committee  through  its  chairman,  Rev.  George 

'  Shepard,  D.  D.,  on  the  subject  of  Ministerial  Support,  have  had  the  same 

under  careful  consideration,  and  beg  leave  to  report  it  back  to  this  body 


CONVENTION   AT   CLEVELAND.  887 

with  their  cordial  approval,  and  with  the  recommendation  that  it  be 
adopted  by  the  Council,  and  that  at  least  10,000  copies  be  printed,  if 
within  the  province  of  the  Council  so  to  do,  and  circulated  among  our 
churches  as  an  approved  compendium  of  the  relative  duties  existing  be- 
tween pastor  and  people. 

Edwabd  D.  Holton, 
William  Salter, 
Hiram  Elmer, 
Edwin  N.  Lewis, 
Selden  M.  Pratt, 
Marshall  S.  Scudder, 
David  S.  Williams." 

convention  at  Cleveland. 

The  Moderator  read  the  following  telegram  from  the  Conven- 
tion of  Non-Episcopal  Methodists  now  in  session  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio: 

"  Clbvsland,  Ohio,  22d  Junx,  1866. 

"To  THE  Moderator  OF  the  Congregational  Council: 

"  The  Convention  of  Non-Episcopal  Methodists,  in  session  at  Cleve- 
land, send  their  fraternal  greeting  to  the  Congregational  Council  at  Bos- 
ton. 

(Signed)  W.  H.  Brewster, 

J.  KOST, 

John  Scott." 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  That  is  a  very  important  convention, 
consisting  of  three  ecclesiastical  bodies,  —  Protestant  Methodists,  Wes- 
leyan  Methodists,  and  Independent  Methodists, — that  have  seceded  from 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  have  dropped  the  Episcopal  feat- 
ures. I  move  that  the  Moderator  be  authorized  to  respond  to  this  tele- 
gram, in  the  name  of  this  Council. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

The  following  reply  was  sent  by  them,  viz. :  ^ 

"To  THE  Moderator  of  the  Convention  of  Non-Episcopal 
Methodists,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  care  of  Rev.  H.  B.  Knight: 

"  The  National  Council  of  Congregational  Churches,  standing  upon  the 
basis  of  Christian  Union,  and  Catholicity  in  faith,  cordially  responds  to 
the  fraternal  greeting  of  the  Convention  at  Cleveland. 

W.  A.  Buckingham, 
Charles  G.  Hammond, 
Joseph  P.  Thompson. 

"  BOBTON,  28d  June,  1865.»» 


888  COMMUNICATION   FROM    BOSTON,    ENGLAND. 

COMMUNICATION   FROM   BOSTON,   ENGLAND. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  read  the  following  com- 
munication, dated  at  Boston,  Lincolnsliire,  England,  certified 
in  due  form  with  a  seal,  and  beautifully  engrossed. 

The  Pastors  and  Delegates  of  the  Independent  Cimrchea  of  Out 
County  of  Lincoln  assembled  at  their  half-yearly  meeting  iii  the  Town  of 
Boston,  to  the  President  and  Members  of  the  Convention  of  Congrega- 
tional Pastors  and  Churches  assembled  in  the  City  of  Boston^  Massa- 
chusetts, U,  S.,  Greeting: 

Dear  Brethren, — 

Having  learned  that  the  Transatlantic  Churches  of  our  Faith  and  Or- 
der are  to  assemble  by  their  representatives,  in  the  City  of  Boston,  almost 
concurrently  with  the  half-yearly  meeting  of  our  own  County  Associa- 
tion in  the  old  town  of  Boston ;  —  we  deem  it  fitting  to  address  to  you  a 
message  of  fraternal  affection  and  sympathy. 

It  would  have  afforded  us  a  high  satisfaction  to  have  been  able  to  de- 
pute one  of  our  own  brethren  from  our  County  to  your  Assembly,  charged 
to  express  with  the  living  voice,  the  deep  interest  we  take  in  your  pros- 
perity, and  especially  in  this  the  hour  of  your  Opuntry's  mingled  triumph 
and  sorrow.  The  ties  by  which  the  mother  Town  and  her  daughter  are 
connected,  have  in  various  ways  been  recognized,  but  in  no  previous  in- 
stance, that  we  can  discover,  have  the  Congregationalists  of  Lincolnshire 
addressed  the  descendants  of  the  illustrious  John  Cotton,  and  those  "  of 
the  Congregational  way,"  who  with  him  sought,  in  the  wilds  of  Massa- 
chusetts, that  freedom  to  worship  God,  which  was  denied  them  in  their 
own  land. 

We  therefore  eagerly  avail  ourselves  of  the  oi)portunity  which  your 
gathering  presents,  to  assure  you  how  much  we  rejoice  in  the  large 
measure  of  success,  which  the  Redeemer  has  vouchsafed  to  your  Church- 
es; and  how  earnestly  we  pray  for  its  continuance  and  increase.  We  are 
not  discouraged  by  the  recollection  of  the  sore  trial  through  which  the 
great  Republic  has  been  called  to  pass.  We  believe  that  you  have  been 
engaged  in  a  struggle  for  right  against  wrong,  —  for  freedom  against 
slavery;  —  and  we  entertain  the  most  profound  conviction,  that  both  your 
'  Political  and  Religious  institutions  will  be  stronger,  and  more  powerful 
for  good,  because  of  the  discipline  through  which  you  have  passed.  We 
have  watched  the  evolutions  of  your  mighty  drama  with  the  most  intense 
anxiety.  But  amidst  all  its  varying  fortunes,  we  have  held  firmly  to  the 
belief,  that  however  it  might  be  protracted,  it  must  issue  in  the  triumph 
of  righteousness  and  mercy. 

We  were  stunned  by  the  blow  which  deprived  you  of  your  noble 
President,  and  the  world  of  one  of  its  Kings  of  Men.  But  already  it  has 
become  apparent,  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  martyr,  is  rendering  to  the 
cause  of  his  Country  and  of  humanity,  b}^  his  death,  a  more  signal  ser- 
vice than  would  have  resulted  from  his  prolonged  life. 


COMMUNICATION    FROM    BOSTON,   ENGLAND.  889 

Go  on,  then,  Honored  Brethren,  in  your  work.  May  it  be  given  you 
to  secure  for  our  principles  a  development  higher,  and  more  comprehen- 
sive than  has  ever  been  attained  in  the  Mother  Country ;  —  to  reconcile 
the  fullest  individual  liberty  with  the  most  perfect  order  in  the  Churches 
of  the  Saints;  —  to  maintain  inviolate  the  sovereignty  of  the  Kedeemer 
over  his  Church;  —  above  all,  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  your  own 
Country,  and  amongst  the  Heathen  to  extend  the  blessings  and  augment 
the  triumphs  of  the  Common  Salvation. 

That  your  meeting  in  Convention  may  tend  largely  to  promote  these 
great  ends  is  the  Prayer, 

Dear  Brethren,  of 

Yours  most  fraternally  and  affectionately, 
in  the  bonds  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 

Signed  in  behalf  of  the"|       Joseph  Shaw,  Pastor  of  the     7  Cka'rman. 

Church,  Red  Lion  Street,  Boston, ) 

Joseph  Ruston,  Treasurer. 
Enos  Metcalf,  Pastor  of  the  )  Rpcretaru 
Church,  High  Street,  Lincoln,  > 

Thomas  Davey,  Pastor  of 
BosTow,  Jane  ist,  1865.  Grove  Street  Church,  Boston. 


Lincolnshire  Asso- 
ciated Pastors  and 
Churches  of  the  Con- 
gregational Order. 


REPLY. 

Boston,  XJ.  S.,  Febraaiy  14, 1866. 

The  Pastors  and  Delegates  of  the  National  Council  of  Congregational 
Churches  in  the  United  States  of  America^  assembled  in  Boston,  in  the 
State  of  Massachusetts,  June  14, 1865,  to  the  Independent  Churches  of 
the  County  of  Lincoln,  in  England,  Greeting: 

Dear  Brethren,— 

It  was  a  great  gratification  to  the  naembers  of  the  National  Council  of 
Congregational  Churches  assembled  in  this  city,  in  June  last,  to  receive 
from  the  "  old  Town  of  Boston,"  in  England,  from  which  the  city  of  our 
own  solemnities  derived  its  name,  a  letter  of  Christian  salutation  and  en- 
couragement from  the  Pastors  and  Delegates  of  the  Independent  Church- 
es of  the  County  of  Lincoln. 

If  the  undersigned,  as  a  Committee  of  the  Pastors  and  Delegates  of  our 
American  Churches,  to  whom  the  pleasing  duty  of  answering  your  "  mes- 
sage of  affection  and  sympathy  "  was  assigned,  have  not  returned  an  ear- 
lier reply,  it  has  been  dn  account  of  special  circumstances  in  which  the 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  has  been  placed,  and  not  from  any  want  of 
heartfelt  thankfulness  and  joy,  on  the  part  of  the  Council  and  its  Com- 
mittee, in  receiving  such  an  assurance  of  your  affectionate  interest  in  the 
objects  and  acts  of  your  American  brethren. 

The  words  of  your  message  show  that  you  fully  sympathize  with  us 
in  appreciating  the  blessings  of  Christian  liberty  inherent  in  our  mu- 
tual forms  of  church  government;  and  that  your  minds  expand  with  the 
Ijenevolence  and  wi&dom  of  the  gospel  of  our  common  Lord,  in  compre- 


890  REPLY. 

« 

bending  the  momentous  interests  connected  with  our  late  national  strng- 
gle  for  liberty  and  law. 

You  have  mourned  with  us  over  the  loss,  by  assassination,  of  our  late 
excellent  President;  you  have  felt  and  expressed  the  deep  and  grated 
conviction  that  God  has  graciously  made  his  death  the  occasion  of  good 
to  our  country;  you  have,  with  the  fervor  we  have  long  known  to  be  glow- 
ing in  the  hearts  of  our  Congregational  brethren  in  England,  rejoiced  in 
the  advancement  of  human  freedom  connected  with  our  victory  over  re- 
bellion; and  the  widened  field  for  the  advancement  of  the  gospel,  in  the 
forms  of  our  mutual  church  polity,  throughout  our  country,  and  in  hea- 
then lands,  opened  by  the  blessed  results  of  our  late  civil  conflict 

All  these  encouraging  events,  so  wonderfully  ordered  by  the  good 
providence  of  God,  amid  the  conflicts  of  hmnan  passion,  you  have  rejoiced 
in  with  us.  And,  we  are  happy,  and,  we  trust,  grateful  to  God,  as  we 
assure  you,  that  their  increasing  developments,  since  we  had  the  pleasure 
of  receiving  your  letter,  have  exhibited  the  loving-kindness  of  our  heav- 
enly Father  the  more  brightly  to  our  eye  of  faith,  and  called  the  "more 
loudly  for  corresponding  works,  on  our  part,  to  meet  his  mercies  with 
the  action  of  our  thanks. 

We  are  happy,  also,  in  assuring  you,  that  the  results  of  the  Council, 
since  its  session,  have  been  cheering  to  our  hearts;  —  that  a  fresh  and  in- 
creased interest  has  been  awakened,  throughout  the  Congregational 
Churches  of  our  land,  in  the  adaptation  of  our  ecclesiastical  system  to 
our  republican  forms  of  National  and  State  governments;  and  that  we 
are  advancing,  as  one  of  the  great  Christian  denominations,  in  gathering 
churches  to  sliine  as  lights,  and  hold  forth  the  word  of  life  in  all  parts 
of  it,  —  not  forgetting  the  duty  of  striving  to  have  the  Word  of  God 
"  sounded  out "  from  us  to  "  the  regions  beyond." 

At  this  time,  there  are  very  strong  and  encouraging  indications  that 
the  special  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  are  accompanying  the 
means  of  grace  used  by  the  churches,  and  giving  blessed  promise  of  re- 
vivals of  religion  in  many  parts  of  our  country. 

We  take  encouragement,  also,  from  "  the  signs  of  the  times,"  dear 
brethren,  to  hope  confidently  that  we  may  rejoice  together  in  the  passing 
away  from  the  political  sky  of  those  clouds  which  have  made  us,  some- 
times, fear  lest  the  tempest  of  war  might  break  the  harmony  which  has 
now,  for  so  many  years,  existed  between  England  and  the  United  States. 
And  we  heartily  congratulate  you  and  ourselves  in  the  pleasing  pros- 
pect thus  spread  before  us  of  yet  closer  ties  of  Christian  love  and  fellow- 
ship, that  we  may,  with  one  mind  and  one  spirit,  strive  together  for  the 
fjGuth  of  the  gospel. 

Yours,  dear  brethren,  most  aflbctionately, 

in  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ 

George  W.  Blagden,) 
Edward  N.  Kirk,        >-  Committee, 
H^NRY  M.  Dexter,     ) 


CONGREGATIONAL  HOUSE.  391 

Rev.  Christopher  Gushing,  of  Massachusetts,  chairman  of 
committee  on  a  Congregational  House,  read  the  following  re- 
port : 

KEPORT. 

First  The  Desirableness  of  a  Congregational  House,  Without  attempt- 
ing to  present  an  exhaustive  statement  on  this  point,  we  would  call  at- 
tention to  a  few  considerations. 

(1.)  A  Congregational  House  is  rendered  desirable  by  the  necessities 
df  the  Congregational  Library. 

(a.)  The  American  Congregational  Association  have  already  in  their 
possession  a  library  of  over  five  thousand  boimd  volumes,  and  over  fifty 
thousand  unbound  pamphlets,  many  of  them  exceedingly  rare,  and  most 
of  them  of  great  value  as  illustrative  of  Puritan  history,  and  of  the  faith 
and  polity  of  the  Puritan  churches. 

This  library,  as  it  is  now  situated,  is  liable  any  day  to  be  consumed  by 
fire ;  and  it  is  an  imperative  necessity,  which  as  Conpregationalists  we 
can  not  fail  to.  appreciate,  that  this  treasury  of  knowledge  should  have  a 
safe  place  of  deposit 

(b.)  There  are  many  individuals  who  have  carefully  selected  private 
libraries,  or  at  least  a  few  books,  of  special  historic  interest,  and  pamph- 
lets rescued  from  the  paper-mill,  that  great  foe  to  antiquarian  researches, 
who  would  gladly  contribute  them  to  the  American  Congregational  As- 
sociation, if  a  fire-proof  building  were  furnished  to  guarantee  their  per- 
manent preservation. 

Thus,  in  a  few  years,  this  library  could  be  made  richer  in  ecclesiastical 
literature  than  any  other  in  our  land. 

We  owe  it  to  our  own  denomination  to  provide  a  place  where  those 
who  love  our  order,  and  possess  relics  of  the  fathers,  may  come  and  pre- 
sent their  gifts. 

(2.)  Again,  a  Congregational  House  is  rendered  desirable  as  the  means 
of  increasing  our  devotion  to  our  own  denomination. 

We  all  fcnoto,  our  Western  brethren  feel,  that  we  have  not  properly 
discriminated  between  sectarian  zeal  and  denominational  interest.  In 
avoiding  the  former,  we  have  neglected  the  latter.  The  American  Con- 
gregational Association  desires,  by  procuring  essays  and  lectures  on 
questions  of  a  denominational  character,  to  promote  our  appreciation,  as 
a  branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  of  our  distinctive  peculiarities;  and 
they  would  be  greatly  aided  in  this  work  by  a  house  in  which  such  es- 
says may  be  read  and  lectures  delivered. 

(3.)  AVe  need  a  place  where  those  societies  which  are  doing  the  work 
of  our  denomination  may  have  their  centers  of  operations,  whether  they 
make  provision  for  the  feeble  churches,  publish  theological  works  for 
ministers.  Sabbath-school  books  for  children,  or  tracts  for  the  congrega^ 
tions. 

(4.)  We  need  a  fiome  to  which,  as  Congregationalists,  we  may  resort. 

This  city,  as  the  home  of  our  fathers,  is  endeared  to  us  by  the  most 


892  CONGREGATIONAL   HOUSE. 

Bacred  associations  —  the  most  hallowed  memories.   It  is  on  this  account 
that  we  are  convened  here  on  the  present  momentous  occasion. 

We  need  a  home  here  to  which  we  can  repair,  not  as  a  Council  once  in 
a  century,  but  as  individual  members  of  the  Congregational  family,  as 
often  as  God  in  his  providence  shall  favor  us  with  the  opportunity. 

Such  a  home  will  give  "  a  local  habitation "  to  what  might  otherwise 
have  only  "  a  name."  It  will  serve  to  promote  union  among  the  churches 
of  our  order  in  this  city,  and  thus  strengthen  the  denomination  where  it 
was  first  established.  It  will  give  fresh  interest  to  our  anniversaries.  It 
will  also  promote  union  between  the  East  and  West  It  will  enable  the 
sons  of  the  Pilgrims,  the  adopted  sons,  and  the  sons-in-law,  when  they 
come  from  their  distant  homes,  to  rekindle  the  torch  at  the  old  fireside, 
and  bear  forth  its  light  to  any  Egyptian  provinces  where  they  may  be 
called  to  sojourn. 

It  may,  in  this  connection,  be  well  to  call  to  mind  that  the  erection  of 
such  an  edifice  by  us  will  be  nothing  peculiar. 

The  Presbyterians,  of  both  assemblies,  have  such  houses  in  Philadel- 
phia; the  Methodists  in  New  York;  and  our  Congregational  brethren  in 
England  have  just  raised  by  subscription  two  hundred  thousand  pounds 
sterling,  as  their  bi-centennial  fund,  out  of  which,  among  other  objects 
important  to  their  denomination,  they  propose  to  erect  such  a  building, 
for  purposes  similar  to  those  which  we  contemplate,  with  the  title  of  the 
"  Memorial  Hall."  It  will  be  a  happy  circumstance  if  we  can  have  such 
a  memorial,  not  only  of  the  Fathers,  but  of  the  meeting  of  our  present 
National  Council. 

Second,     The  Agency  for  the  erection  of  a  Congregational  House.       / 

We  have  no  occasion  for  any  new  organization.  The  American  Con- 
gregational Association,  incorporated  in  1854,  under  the  title  of  the  Con- 
gregational Library  Association,  which  name  was  changed  in  18G4,  is 
authorized  to  hold  property  to  the  amount  of  8300,000,  and  "  to  do  such 
acts  as  may  promote  the  interest  of  Congregational  churches,  by  publish- 
ing works,  by  furnishing  libraries  and  pecimiary  aid  to  parishes,  church- 
es, and  Sabbath  schools,  by  promoting  friendly  intercourse  and  co-op- 
eration among  Congregational  ministers  and  churches,  and  with  other 
denominations,  and  by  collecting  and  disbursing  funds  for  the  above  ob- 
jects." 

This  society,  already  in  the  field,  is  everything,  so  far  as  respects  an 
agency  to  secure  a  Congregational  House,  which  could  be  desired. 

Third,     What  lias  already  been  accomplished. 

The  American  Congregational  Association  have  at  the  present  time 
property  in  real  estate  to  the  amount  of  about  ^10,000,  and  have  recently 
secured  a  subscription  of  820,000  in  Boston  and  vicinity  toward  the  erec- 
tion of  a  Congregational  House;  and  such  is  the  facility  with  which  this 
has  been  accomplished,  that  the  conviction  is  expressed  that  it  will  not 
be  difiicult  to  secure  an  increase  of  this  subscription,  in  this  city  and 
Vicinity,  to  850,000. 

Fourth.    The  p  Ian  proposed. 

It  is  thought  that  $100,000  will  be  needed  for  this  object,  and  it  is  sug- 


CONGREGATIONAL   HOUSE.  393 

gested  that,  should  the  subscription  in  this  city  and  vicinity  be  increased 
to  $50,000,  the  remaining  $50,000  should  be  secured  chiefly  from  Massa- 
chusetts, or  at  least  New  England. 

Fifth,     Objections, 

(1.)  It  may  be  objected  to  this  proposition  that  the  raising  of  this 
amount  of  money  for  this  object  will  interfere  with  the  raising  of  the 
$750,000  already  proposed  for  other  objects.  To  which  we  reply,  that 
the  raising  of  the  $750,000  proposed  is  not  so  formidable  as  at  first  ap- 
pears, for  we  have  been  accustomed  to  raise  large  sums  for  the  Ameri- 
can Home  Missionary  Society  and  the  American  Missionary  Association, 
and  something  also  for  the  American  Congregational  Union.  And  the 
past  year  we  have  raised  a  very  large  amount  for  the  Freedmen;  and  as 
the  $750}000  includes  the  objects  of  all  these  societies,  the  portion  of  the 
$750,000  which  is  over  and  above  what  we  have  been  accustomed  to  raise 
is  not  appalling. 

Again,  as  the  Congregational  House  is  designed  to  conserve  and  foster 
an  interest  in  our  own  denomination,  its  erection  will  be  the  means  of 
rendering  it  easier  in  the  end  to  raise  money  for  other  denominational 
purposes. 

(2.)  It  may  be  objected  that  the  existence  of  such  a  house  will  involve 
continued  annual  expenses;  but  this  it  is  estimated  will  be  met  in  part, 
or  entirely,  by  the  rents  which  such  a  building  will  yield.  With  the  un- 
derstanding that  the  money  shall  be  raised  chiefly  from  persons  in  New 
England,  and  particularly  in  Massachusetts,  who  are  able  to  contribute 
large  sums,  and  that  the  Congregational  House  shall  not  be  a  "  House  of 
Bishops,"  nor  the  source  of  a  centralized  power  for  the  control  of  Con- 
gregational bishops  or  churches,  but  a  home  for  all  the  brethren,  to  form 
or  renew  acquaintance,  promote  Christian  fellowship,  and  the  interests 
of  the  great  denominational  family  to  which  we  belong,  we  commend  the 
American  Congregational  Association  and  its  enterprises  to  the  confi- 
dence and  co-operation  of  our  churches. 

(Signet})  Christopher  Cushinq, 

Emerson  Davis, 
E.  Russell, 
S.  D.  Cochran, 
S.  G.  Wright, 
Walter  Booth, 

Boston,  June  21,  1865. 

The  report  was  accepted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  of  Massachusetts.  I  have  no  such  special  connec- 
tion with  this  enterprise  as  involves  the  duty  of  addressing  this  body;  but 
it  seems  desirable  that  a  few  things  should  be  said  in  relation  to  it,  that 
the  body  may  feel  prepared  to  give  their  sanction  to  the  enterprise.  It  has 
been  suggested  to  me  that  there  are  some  persons  who  feel  that  the  sum 
desired  for  erecting  this  building,  and  putting  it  into  working  condition, 
would  be  so  much  taken  out  of  the  amount  otherwise  to  be  contributed 
to  the  funds  of  the  Council.    In  my  opinion  the  reverse  is  the  fact;  and 


^  Committee, 


394  CONGREGATIONAL   HOUSE. 

this  portion  of  your  enterprise  is  just  what  we  need  here  to  develop  the 
spirit  of  Congregationalism  among  our  churches  in  the  East,  and  espe- 
cially in  this  city  and  vicinity. 

I  have  felt  that  we  have  not  realized  at  all  the  importance  of  the  de- 
nomination to  which  we  belong,  not  only  in  New  England  but  all  over 
the  country,  not  as  a  sect,  but  as  a  portion  of  Christ's  visible  kingdom. 
I  have  had  in  view  for  a  number  of  years  the  object  contemplated  by 
this  enterprise;  to  wit:  something  in  Boston  to  bring  forth  the  spirit  of 
our  churches,  and  make  us  feel  that  it  is  important  for  us  to  extend  the 
denomination  over  the  far  "West,  and  now,  if  may  be,  over  the  far  South. 
I  can  not  think  of  any  one  thing  that  is  so  likely  to  accomplish  the  object 
as  this  particular  enterprise,  so  ably  brought  before  us  by  this  report 
that  I  need  not  go  into  the  subject  in  detail. 

"We  had  in  this  city,  not  long  since,  a  meeting  of  merchants,  the  larg- 
est and  best  meeting  of  merchants  for  an  object  that  contemplated  a  sub- 
scription, that  I  have  seen  in  this  city  for  twenty  years  past  or  more. 
We  brought  the  proposition  before  them  to  raise  850,000,  which  was  as 
much  as  we  thought  it  would  do  to  ask  for  an  object  not  fully  compre- 
hended. But  the  enthusiasm  of  the  meeting  was  such,  based  upon  a 
clear  understanding  of  the  facts  brought  before  them,  that  it  was  thought 
best  that  we  should  aim  at  raising  $100,000,  in  order  to  obtain  a  building 
adapted  to  our  purpose.  Toward  that  amount  five  merchants  have  sub- 
scribed S2,500  each,  with  the  understanding  that  it  shall  be  payable  as 
soon  as  $50,000  have  been  pledged.  Another  gentleman  in  the  interior 
sent  us  $2,000;  and  I  have  no  doubt  at  all,  as  he  is  a  member  of  this 
Council,  that,  if  necessary,  he  will  add  to  that  sum.  Others  are  ready  to 
contribute  $1,000,  and  others  $500.  There  has  been  no  object  proposed 
in  Boston  for  a  long  time  in  the  importance  of  which  religious  men  have 
been  so  united  as  in  this. 

We  have  obtained  from  the  legislature  the  power  of  holding  $300,000, 
in  property;  which  will  include  all  that  is  needful  to  carry  out  the  ob- 
jects as  they  are  contemplated  by  the  directors.        . 

I  do  not  think  it  necessary  for  me  to  go  further  into  the  subject,  as 
there  are  others,  living  in  other  parts  of  the  country,  who  will  say  some- 
thing upon  it.  I  will  close  by  stating  my  own  conviction  that  our  West- 
ern brethren,  by  giving  their  sanction  to  this  enterprise,  are  doing  the 
best  thing  they  can  to  raise  a  working  power  which  will  bring  to  them 
more  than  half  a  million  dollars  in  a  very  few  years.  I  rejoice  that  the 
American  Congregational  Union  have  been  authorized  to  raise  $200,000 
for  the  building  of  churches.  New  York  is  our  great  commercial  center, 
and  that  is  the  best  place,  I  have  no  doubt  at  all,  for  that  society  to  op- 
erate in;  but  Boston  is  the  place  for  the  Library,  and  Boston  is  the  place 
from  which  to  issue  Congregational  literature;  and  this  society,  which 
does  not  contemplate  to  become  a  purchasing  institution,  would  be  the 
best  to  advise  Sabbath  schools  and  churches  of  our  denomination 
throughout  the  country  what  are  the  best  books  for  them  to  purchase. 

Rev.  Dr.  AVolcott,  of  Ohio.  The  Senior  Secretary  of  the  American 
Board,  who  is  known  to  many  of  us  to  have  taken  a  very  deep  interest 


CONGREGATIONAL   HOUSE.  895 

in  the  subject,  and  to  have  devoted  a  great  deal  of  time,  and  thought,  and 
solicitude  to  it,  before  rising,  appealed  to  me,  as  the  representative  of 
the  Western  Conference,  to  confirm,  if  I  could,  by  a  word  or  two,  his 
impression  respecting  the  sympathy,  or  rather,  the  identity,  of  the  inter- 
est between  the  West  and  the  East  with  regard  to  this  subject.  I  do  this 
with  the  greatest  pleasure.  I  regard  this  as  one  of  the  most  important 
practical  suggestions  which  has  been  brought  before  this  Council.  I  do 
not  deem  it  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  the  success  of  this  project  is  es- 
sential to  the  full  success  of  every  other  measure  which  has  been  pro- 
posed here. 

Now,  sir,  with  reference  to  the  West.  While  our  faith  and  polity 
have,  during  the  last  thirty  years,  made  wonderful  progress,  we  have  not 
yet,  in  many  localities,  obtained  that  social  vantage  ground  which  is  oc- 
cupied here.  We  are  overshadowed  by  churches  of  another  denomina- 
tion that  have  drawn  their  strength  from  New  England,  made  up  mainly 
of  emigrants  from  New  England,  and  their  descendants,  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  the  Pilgrims,  and  of  the  Puritan  faith  and  polity.  Some  of  our 
own  churches,  comprised  of  those  who  have  adhered  to  our  polity,  which 
is  as  well  adapted  to  the  West  as  to  the  East,  and  is  as  much  needed  at 
the  West  as  at  the  East,  are  overshadowed  by  the  older  churches;  while 
others  have  become  as  strong  as  they.  Others  are  becoming  stronger, 
and  amid  great  difficulty  and  discouragement  are  attempting  to  hold  up 
the  banner  for  Christ  that  it  may  be  displayed  for  the  truth. 

These  churches  first  of  all  lift  their  eyes  to  the  eternal  hills  whence 
Cometh  their  help;  but  they  do  also  lift  their  eyes  occasionally  to  the 
hills  of  New  England,  the  monument  of  our  polity  combined  with  evan- 
gelical faith;  and  it  strengthens  and  cheers  us -to  be  able  to  turn  to  New 
England  as  a  specimen  of  what  such  a  faith  and  such  a  polity,  under 
God,  can  accomplish. 

The  Western  delegates  to  this  Council  have  come  up  here,  able  and 
strong  ;  and  it  was  a  special  pleasure  to  them  to  meet  in  this  National 
Council,  because  it  was  to  meet  in  this  home  of  our  youth,  in  this  Jeru- 
salem of  our  Congregational  Israel,  which  is  free  and  gendereth  not  to 
bondage.  I  find  that  a  large  number  of  my  brothers  in  the  West  have 
never  visited  Boston  before  ;  and  it  does  them  good  to  walk  about, 
seeing  how  tall  are  her  towers,  to  mark  her  bulwarks,  and  consider  her 
palaces,  that  they  may  tell  to  the  present  as  well  as  to  the  following  gen- 
eration who  are  to  people  the  broad  West  in  the  future,  where  must  be 
derived  so  largely  the  strength  of  our  churches. 

I  believe  that  the  interest  which  is  felt  in  this  cause  by  the  churches  of 
the  West,  is  fully  as  great  as  that  which  is  felt  in  the  East,  and  that  they 
will  gladly  respond  to  this  proposition,  and,  according  to  their  ability, 
will  cheerfully  subscribe.  I  hope  some  steps  will  be  initiated  before  the 
Council  shall  dissolve,  by  which  the  suggestions  of  this  able  paper  shall 
be  realized,  and  that  a  subscription  paper  will  be  started  here  which  will 
give  us  some  reasonable  assurance  that,  in  the  good  providence  of  God, 
the  object  here  proposed  will  be  accomplished. 

Rev.  A.  P.  Mabvin,  of  Massachusetts.    This  is  a  subject  in  which  I 


396  CONGREGATIONAL    HOUSE. 

have  felt  the  deepest  interest  from  the  beginning.  Livmg  as  I  do  some 
seventy  miles  from  the  city,  I  have  never  been  able  to  be  present  at  any  of 
the  meetings  of  the  Association ;  but  I  have  found  no  man  here  who  has  felt 
more  interest  than  I  in  that  subject  I  never  had  an  opportunity  to  con- 
sult with  any  person  about  it  except  the  late  most  excellent  and  lamented 
Rev.  Joseph  Clark.  When  I  saw  such  a  meeting  called,  my  first  im- 
pulse was  to  come  here,  simply  from  the  interest  I  felt  in  it ;  but  know- 
ing that  I  could  do  nothing  to  aid  the  movement,  I  concluded  to  stay  at 
home.  I  am  glad  now  to  be  able  to  be  here.  I  only  regret  that  the  sum 
has  been  put  at  8100,000  ;  for  I  do  not  see  how  the  object  can  be  accom- 
plished, as  it  should  be,  for  $100,000.  Perhaps  the  business  men  here 
can  understand  that  They  may  hope,  from  the  rents  of  the  building, 
to  be  able  to  do  what  is  necessary  ;  but  for  a  building  so  large,  and  ar- 
chitecturally 60  beautiful  as  I  desire,  it  seems  to  me  that  §100,000  will 
not  be  enough. 

I  wish  to  speak  only  on  one  point,  the  relation  of  this  institution  to 
our  history  ;  not  only  to  Congregational  history,  but  to  New  England 
history.  I  believe  this  point  has  not  yet  been  touched  upon.  Brethren 
who  have  not  turned  their  attention  to  it,  may  wonder  what  good  this  is 
going  to  do  ;  how  a  library  and  a  great  collection  of  manuscripts  in  Bos- 
ton will  be  of  any  use  to  all  the  churches  between  here  and  Oregon.  I 
suppose  if  there  is  any  information  gathered  here,  it  will  be  easy  to  com- 
municate it  This  will  be  the  center  where  all  the  facts  of  our  history 
will  be  stored  up  ;  and  we  shall  have  a  librarian  who  can  answer  any 
question  with  regard  to  it,  upon  any  topic  which  may  be  interesting  con- 
nected with  our  history,  or  our  polity,  and  our  local  as  well  as  our  gen- 
eral history. 

You  know  we  have  been,  I  was  about  to  say,  "  damned  like  Crom- 
well to  everlasting  fame,"  almost  infamy,  in  a  certain  sort  of  literature 
current  in  England,  and  beginning  to  be  in  this  country.  The  fact  is, 
that  our  forefathers,  and  the  friends  of  our  forefathers  in  England,  were 
all  covered  over  and  blackeneji  by  the  poets  and  letter-writers  in  Eng- 
land ;  and  it  is  only  in  recent  days  that  we  have  been  getting  this  black 
rubbed  off,  so  that  we  begin  to  shine  out  and  to  be  understood  by  the 
world.  We  have  ourselves  men  rising  up,  poets,  novelists,  editors,  ly- 
ceum  lecturers,  ready  to  throw  out  their  slanders  and  their  misrepresent- 
ations of  the  character  and  history  of  our  ancestors.  I  want  simply  to 
collect  the  facta  and  have  them  ready  to  answer  all  these  misrepre- 
sentations. 

One  of  the  designs  of  Mr.  Clark  was  this  very  thing.  He  said  there 
were  continual  misrepresentations  going  out,  of  writers  in  Boston,  or 
Massachusetts,  or  other  parts  of  the  country,  which  could  be  corrected 
by  the  facts  which  we  were  beginning  to  collect.  I  recollect  the  remark 
of  one  formerly  noted  lyceum  lecturer,  who  said,  "  Yes,  the  Puritans 
were  a  noble  people ;  but  I  am  glad  they  lived  200  years  before  I  did.'' 
'He  was  full  of  prejudice,  from  his  want  of  knowledge  of  the  history  of 
New  England.  Mr.  Palfrey  has  done  a  great  thing  for  us,  as  well  as  for 
himself,  in  his  candid  and  noble  history.    But  if  we  can  have  a  library 


CONGREGATIONAL   HOUSE.  897 

here,  and  a  suitable  building  properly  conducted,  and  a  librarian  who 
understands  his  duties,  and  who  is  not  merely  a  custodian  of  books,  it 
will  change  the  current  of  opinion,  and  will  do  very  much  to  make  our 
name  honored,  as  it  only  needs  to  be  known  to  be  honored  ;  and  our 
brethren  and  friends,  and  our  posterity,  in  the  West  and  in  the  South, 
will  be  proud  of  the  name  of  their  ancestors. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  committee  on  Business,  stated  that 
the  committee  on  the  Declaration  of  Faith  were  prepared  to 
report. 

On  motion  of  Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois, 

the  report  was  made  the  special  order  for  12  o'clock. 

Half  an  hour  was  then  spent  in  devotional  exercises,  prayer 
being  oflFered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  a  hymn  being  sung,  and  re- 
marks being  oflFered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts,  Riev. 
G.  S.  P.  Savage,  of  Illinois,  Dea.  Charles  Stoddard,  of  Massa- 
chusetts, Rev.  Dr.  Adams,  of  Maine,  Rev.  Dr.  Sturtevant,  of 
Illinois,  Rev.  Dr.  Gates,  of  Iowa,  and  others. 

The  Council  then  resumed  the  consideration  of  the  report  of 
the  committee  on  a  Congregational  House. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois.  I  wish  to  say  a  word  or  two  m  refer- 
ence to  this  report,  and  perhaps  my  remarks  may  be  a  little  wider  than 
the  report.  I  very  much  approve  of  this  building  in  Boston,  and  wish  it 
had  been  done  long  ago.  I  think  it  ought  to  have  been  done ;  and  that  it 
would  have  been  done,  if  the  ministry  of  New  England  had  preached  to 
their  people  on  the  subject  of  their  polity  as  much  as  they  ought  I  think 
if  the  people  of  New  England,  with  all  her  money,  and  intelligence,  and 
refinement,  had  been  made,  by  the  watchmen  upon  the  walls,  to  under- 
stand the  value  of  their  church  polity,  they  would  have  poured  out  their 
money  and  buQt  the  house,  and  we  should  Lave  had  that  home.  Still  more, 
if  we  had  had  that  home,  as  the  result  of  that  conviction,  the  polity  would 
have  been  caiTied  to  the  West  by  those  who  have  come  there,  and  they 
would  have  lived  by  it;  whereas,  in  the  town  I  came  from,  the  larger 
number  of  our  Presbyterian  ministers  came  from  the  Congregational 
ministry  of  New  England.  Instead  of  their  being  the  most  efficient  lead- 
ers of  the  Presbyterian  church,  we  should  have  had  them  to  assist  us. 
When  we  have  had  but  a  little  band,  in  want  of  sympathy  as  we  have 
been,  I  have  thought,  "  Oh,  that  the  people  of  New  England  loved  their 
polity,  and  would  teach  it  to  their  children,  and  teach  them  to  love  it! " 
I  am  sure  that  if  New  England  —  rich  in  money,  thought,  and  education, 
and  all  that  makes  New  England  glorious  —  loved  this  policy  as  they 
ought,  and  had  been  taught  it  as  they  ought,  they  would  long  ago  have 
built  this  house. 

I  have  been  distressed  since  I  came  to  this  Council,  and  before  I  came 
here,  by  the  fear  that  we  should  separate  and  only  skirmish  round  about, 


898  CONGREGATIONAL   HOUSE. 

and  not  come  to  meet  the  enemy  face  to  face  and  conquer.  What  have 
we  to  do?  What  did  we  come  here  for,  Christian  fathers  and  brethren? 
Did  not  we  come  here  for  the  purpose  of  devising  ways  and  means  by 
which  to  enlist  a  thousand  men,  and  by  which  to  equip  and  drill  a  thou- 
sand men,  and  to  furnish  the  commissariat  for  a  thousand  men  or  more 
to  go  forth  and  bear  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel  to  those  regions  in 
which  there  is  now  so  much  desolation?  Is  there  before  us  anything  else 
so  important  as  to  determine  how  to  raise  these  men,  how  they,  are  to  be 
equipped,  drilled,  and  supported  in  carrying  forward  this  holy  war?  If 
there  is  anything  else  so  important,  I  will  sit  right  down  and  let  any 
brother  state  what  it  is.    No;  there  is  nothing  else. 

The  fact  is  patent  to  every  one  of  us,  that  the  reason  why  the  gospel 
does  not  extend  wider  and  farther,  and  does  not  bring  more  to  its  sup- 
port, is  that  its  privileges  are  not  sufficiently  appreciated;  it  is  because 
we  undervalue  the  gospel.  Do  you  not  know  that  some  persons,  who 
profess  to  be  godly  men,  say  there  is  such  a  thing  as  paying  too  much 
for  the  gospel;  and  they  can  not  afford  to  part  with  so  much  of  their 
money  as  they  are  called  upon  to  do,  to  support  the  gospel?  Let  me  tell 
you  that,  whatever  it  costs  to  support  the  gospel,  it  costs  a  great  deal 
more  not  to  do  it  I  have  seen  that  as  a  business  man,  in  the  different 
towns  which  have  grown  up  alongside  of  each  other  in  the  West  I  have 
seen  one  town  planted  upon  a  whiskey-barrel,  and  another  planted  upon 
the  gospel  of  our  Saviour.  Commencing  with  the  same  advantages,  the 
one  has  become  a  light  to  all  around,  while  the  other  has  gone  out  in 
darkness.    This  is  true,  and  will  always  be  true. 

Now,  what  is  the  reason  that  there  is  such  an  imdervaluing  of  the  gos- 
pel? I  verily  believe  that  the  gospel  is  undervalued  quite  as  much  by 
the  ministry  as  by  laymen.  How  many  of  the  ministry  —  the  reverend 
fathers  before  me,  and  those  we  have  left  behind  —  are  willing  to  come 
up  to  the  laymen,  and  tell  them  that  no  farther  than  they  consecrate  their 
property  to  God  have  they  the  means  of  grace?  How  many  will  tell 
them  that  never,  until  it  is  all  sacrificed,  have  they  the  evidence  that  they 
are  Christians?  How  often  do  you  hear  faithful  sermons  to  rich  men? 
How  often  are  we  laymen,  who  are  so  apt  to  be  covered  up  in  the  Avorld, 
and  buried  in  the  care  of  the  dollars  and  cents,  met  by  one  who  will  look 
us  square  in  the  face  and  tell  us  to  consecrate  all  to  God?  How  often 
are  we  told  that  the  only  privilege  is  to  hold  so  much  property  as  is 
necessary  in  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  our  calling  or  profession? 
One  man  may  be  a  merchant,  requiring  a  capital  of  S500,000;  another 
may  require  $50,000,  and  another  $5,000;  another  may  be  a  manufac- 
turer, and  God  only  knows  how  much  he  needs.  But  he  knows,  and 
God  knows,  how  much  income  he  should  reserve.  And  he  knows,  or 
ought  to  know,  —  and  if  he  does  not  know  it,  you  ought  to  tell  him,  —  that 
he  owes  all  that  he  makes  over  and  above  the  necessary  support  of  his 
family,  and  laying  up  sufficient  to  educate  his  children,  and  what  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  up  the  tools  of  his  profession,  as  the  library  of  the  lawyer, 
to  God.  Do  you  believe  that  if  you  talked  thus,  with  all  the  earnestness 
with  which  you  ought  to  teach  us,  we  should  want,  for  $760,000?    Do 


CONGREGATIONAL    HOUSE.  399 

you  believe  we  should  want  for  the  money  which  is  necessary  to  raise 
and  educate  these  men,  to  establish  these  schools  and  colleges,  and  to 
carry  out  these  great  objects  which  must  be  accomplished,  or  we  shall 
sink  with  a  weight  of  guilt  upon  us  which  no  one  can  estimate?  He  who 
reads  the  Bible  is  taught  to  consecrate  himself  and  all  he  has  to  God. 

I  know  some  of  you  say.  We  must  not  talk  about  money  to  our  peo- 
ple. You  do  not  estimate  the  laymen  aright  They  require  this  teach- 
ing above  all  things.  They  are,  for  six  days  in  the  week,  wrapped  up  in 
their  business,  and  are  very  likely  to  overestimate  the  value  of  the  good 
things  of  this  world.  If  you  only  speak  to  us  about  faith,  and  patience, 
and  hope,  and  justification,  and  these  glorious  truths;  if  you  say  nothing 
about  the  particular  duty  of  daily  consecration  of  all  that  we  can  make, 
aside  from  what  I  have  said  may  properly  be  excepted,  do  you  believe 
the  brethren  will  be  ready  to  consecrate  this  money  to  God?  It  is  not 
80.  God  has  ordained  that  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  he  will  save 
those  that  beheve;  that  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  he  will  prepare 
us  for  salvation;  that  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  he  will  instruct  us 
in  our  duty  and  bring  us  up  to  it 

How  difficult  it  is  for  a  man  to  know,  and  then  to  be  brought  up  to  his 
duty  I  You  know  you  can  not  bring  us  up  to  this,  unless  we  see  your 
soul  in  it;  unless  we  see  you  so  determined  to  do  it,  that  you  will  not  be 
afraid  to  offend  a  rich  man  because  he  is  covetous.  That  sin  of  covetous- 
ness,  —  O  Lord,  deliver  us  from  it  I  If  we  could  but  be  delivered  ftom 
that,  we  should  want  but  a  very  few  moments  so  to  arrange  our  plans  as 
to  be  sure  of  extending  the  gospel  of  God.  When  we  reach  the  practical 
sacrifice  of  consecrating  all  to  God,  then  we  may  be  assured  that  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  extension  of  his  kingdom  is  secured  through  this 
broad  land — yea,  throughout  the  world.    [Applause.] 

Hon.  Mr.  Douglas,  of  Connecticut.  Some  of  us  had  the  pleasure  and 
gratification  yesterday  of  visiting  the  old  consecrated  ground  at  Plymouth, 
and  the  opportunity  of  looking  on  what  our  immediate  fathers  have  done 
toward  laying  the  foundation  there  of  memorials  of  those  goodly  men. 
There  we  saw  the  foundations  of  an  immense  monument  to  the  memory 
of  our  Pilgrim  fathers.  We  saw  the  foundation  also  for  another  over 
that  holy  rock,  —  that  sacred  spot  where  first  they  placed  their  feet.  A 
canopy  is  to  be  erected  to  protect  that  from  the  wearing  drops. of  the 
storms  of  heaven,  and  from  ruthless  hands  that  might  endeavor  to  gather 
fragments  from  that  precious  rock  to  carry  to  their  several  homes  to  look 
upon.  The  grand  forethought  of  our  immediate  fathers  and  friends  in 
laying  these  foundations  to  preserve  these  sacred  relics,  and  in  the  erec- 
tion of  Plymouth  Hall  for  the  preservation  of  the  memorials  handled  by 
our  godly  fathers,  which  to  look  upon  did  our  hearts  good,  may  well  be 
imitated  by  us  to-day.  If  it  strengthened  us  to  see  things  which  our 
fatliers  looked  upon  and  handled,  is  not  the  same  thing  tfue  of  our  old 
Congregational  church,  especially  here  in  this  Puritan  city,  its  early 
foundation?  Shall  we  not  put  up  some  monument  here  to  commemorate 
their  labors,  their  prayers,  their  tears;  —  something  that  our  children  in 
future  time,  as  they  come  to  this  business  mart,  may  look  upon,  to  see 


400  '         CONGREGATIONAL  HOUSE. 

what  their  fathers  did  to  preserve  the  memory  of  their  church?  Shall 
we  not  erect  here  the  monument  of  the  Congregational  church  here 
founded,  so  near  the  old  rock  upon  which  our  fathers  landed? 

I  think  we  have  neglected  these  things  far  too  much.  The  Congrega- 
tional church  has  been  truly  a  pioneer  church.  We  have  marched  our 
armies  through  the  fields,  over  the  territory,  conquering  city  after  city; 
but  we  have  failed  to  garrison  the  cities  as  we  have  gone  through. 
What  would  have  been  thought  of  Sherman,  if,  in  his  triumphal  march, 
he  had  marched  from  city  to  city  and  failed  to  garrison  them?  We  must 
garrison  the  cities,  not  against  other  sects  of  orthodox  persuasion,  but 
against  the  enemies  of  Christ's  kingdom.  I  think  the  best  way  to  garri- 
son this  old  city  of  our  fathers  is  to  erect  here  a  taemorial  building  for 
our  children  to  look  upon. 

I  think,  with  the  gentleman  Avho  has  just  spoken,  that  our  clerical 
friends  have  been  too  tender-hearted  in  this  matter,  too  mealy-mouthed, 
too  afraid  to  ask  us  —  the  laity  —  to  contribute  to  these  objects.  It  has 
been  often  spoken  of  among  the  laity,  that  upon  this  matter  of  calling 
for  contributions  the  clergymen  are  backward;  that  they  are  afraid  of 
hearing  what  has  been  called  the  "  Judas  jingle  "  in  our  churches.  I  like 
to  hear  it  There  is  nothing  which  does  me  so  much  good  as  to  hear  the 
church-plates  go  round.  Do  not  be  too  mealy-mouthed;  pass  round  the 
plates,  and  we  will  give  the  money. 

Hon.  Mr.  Barstow,  of  Rhode  Island.  I  wish  for  a  little  light  before  I 
vote  for  this.  I  should  like  to  be  informed  of  the  number  of  the  corpK)ra- 
tors,  and  their  locality,  and  whether  4;he  matter  is  perfectly  guarded,  so 
that  we  may  be  sure  that  this  building  will  represent  our  polity  in  future 
generations.    We  have  seen  such  things  slip  out  sometimes. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts.  The  association,  although  incorpo- 
rated by  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  is  composed  of  members  of 
Orthodox  Congregational  churches  without  regard  to  locality,  each  paying 
one  dollar  or  more  into  its  treasury,  and  thus  becoming  a  life-member. 
The  number  of  corporators,  therefore,  is  the  whole  nimiber  of  those  church 
members,  who  choose  to  become  such  by  the  payment  of  one  dollar. 
There  is  an  annual  meeting  held  in  Boston  at  the  time  of  the  anniversa- 
ries in  May.  The  list  of  officers  will  show  the  names  of  those  connected 
with  it.    The  officers  are  elected  annually  by  ballot. 

Hon.  Mr.  Barstow.  I  think  the  corporation  is  too  open,  if  the  pay- 
ment of  one  dollar  makes  a  man  a  member  for  life.  No  matter  what  his 
change  of  faith  may  be,  he  is  still  a  voting  member. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts.  That  is  guarded  against  He 
must  be  and  remain  a  member  in  good  and  regular  standing  in  an  Ortho- 
dox Congregational  church,  or  he  can  not  vote. 

The  report  was  adopted. 

DECLARATION   OF   FAITH. 

The  hour  of  12  o'clock  having  arrived, 

Rev.  Dr.  Stearns,  on  behalf  of  the  committee  to  revise  the  language 


DECLARATION    OF    FAITH.  401 

of  the  Declaration  of  Faith,  said:  Your  committee  have  confined  them- 
selves strictly  to  the  duty  intrusted  to  them.  They  have  not  attempted 
to  introduce  any  new  matter  whatever,  or  to  modify  any  old  matter,  so 
as  surreptitiously  or  by  any  possibility  to  introduce  new  matter  which 
was  exceptionable.  Nor  upon  a  review  of  this  document  did  they  desire, 
all  things  considered,  to  introduce  anything  of  that  kind.  They  confined 
themselves  simply  to  modifications  of  language,  regarding  somewhat 
euphony,  but  more  especially  perspicuity,  in  order  that  the  sentiments 
here  expressed  may  go  out  intelligently  and  satisfactorily  —  so  far  ^  the 
document  itself  is  satisfactory  —  to  all. 

In  paragraph  1,  substitute  "  declare  "  for  "  reiterate  " ;  "  substantially  as  embodied," 
instead  of  **  as  substantially  embodied " ;  strike  out  "as"  after  "primitive  churches." 
In  the  sentence  commencing  "  We  bless  the  God  of  our  fathers,"  make  it  read  "  We  bless 
God  for,"  etc.,  and  strike  out  all  after  "  doctrines." 

In  paragraph  2,  after  "  the  state,"  insert  "  and." 

In  paragraph  6,  change  "But"  to  "Thus"  for  the  first  word;  and  read  "should 
agree,"  instead  of  "  may  agree." 

In  paragraph  7,  before  "  are  justified,"  substitute  "  believers  in  him  "  for  "  we  " ;  after 
"  before  God,"  strike  out  "  and  ";  after  "remission  of  sins,  and,"  strike  out  "  that  it  is" ; 
after  "  Comforter,"  strike  out  "  alone  that  we,"  then  substitute  "  are  "  for  "  hope  to  be  " ; 
and  strike  out  "  to  be  "  before  "  perfected." 

In  paragraph  8,  substitute  "  the  "  for  " an"  before  "organized." 

In  paragraph  9,  strike  out  "  originally." 

Rev.  Dr.  Stearns  then  read  the  revised  Declaration  of  Faith, 
as  follows : 

Standing  by  the  rock  where  the  Pilgrims  set  foot  upon  these  shores, 
upon  the  spot  where  they  worshiped  God,  and  among  the  graves  of  the 
early  generations,  we.  Elders  and  Messengers  of  the  Congregational 
churches  of  the  United  States  in  National  Coupcil  assembled  —  like  them 
acknowledging  no  rule  of  faith  but  the  word  of  God  —  do  now  declare 
our  adherence  to  the  faith  and  order  of  the  apostolic  and  primitive 
churches  held  by  our  fathers,  and  substantially  as  embodied  in  the  con- 
fessions and  platforms  wliich  our  Synods  of  1648  and  1680  set  forth  or 
reaffirmed.  We  declare  that  the  experience  of  the  nearly  two  and  a  half 
centuries  which  have  elapsed  since  the  memorable  day  when  our  sires 
founded  here  a  Christian  Commonwealth,  with  all  the  development  of  new 
forms  of  error  since  their  times,  has  only  deepened  our  confidence  in  the 
faith  and  polity  of  those  fathers.  We  bless  God  for  the  inheritance  of 
these  doctrines.  We  invoke  the  help  of  the  Divine  Redeemer,  that, 
through  the  presence  of  the  promised  Comforter,  he  will  enable  us  to 
transmit  them  in  purity  to  our  children. 

In  the  times  that  are  before  us  as  a  nation,  times  at  once  of  duty  and 
of  danger,  we  rest  all  our  hope  in  the  gospel  of  the  gon  of  God.  It  was 
the  grand  peculiarity  of  our  Puritan  Fathers,  that  they  held  this  gospel, 
not  merely  as  the  ground  of  their  personal  salvation,  but  as  declaring 
the  worth  of  man  by  the  incarnation  and  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and 
therefore  applied  its  principles  to  elevate  society,  to  regulate  education, 
to  civilize  humanity,  to  purify  law,  to  reform  the  Church  and  the  State, 

26 


402  DECLARATION   OF   FAITH. 

and  to  assert  and  defend  liberty;  in  short,  to  mold  and  redeem,  by  its 
all-transforming  energy,  everything  that  belongs  to  man  in  his  individual 
and  social  relations. 

It  was  the  faith  of  our  fathers  that  gave  us  this  free  land  in  which  we 
dwell.  It  is  by  this  faith  only  that  we  can  transmit  to  our  children  a  free 
and  happy,  because  a  Christian,  commonwealth. 

We  hold  it  to  be  a  distinctive  excellence  of  our  Congregational  system, 
that  it  exalts  that  which  is  more  above  that  which  is  less,  important,  and, 
by  the  simplicity  of  its  organization,  facilitates,  in  communities  where 
the  population  is  limited,  the  union  of  all  true  believers  in  one  Christian 
church ;  and  that  the  division  of  such  communities  into  several  weak  and 
jealous  societies,  holding  the  same  common  faith,  is  a  sin  against  the 
unity  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  at  once  the  shame  and  scandal  of  Chris- 
tendom. 

We  rejoice  that,  through  the  influence  of  our  free  system  of  apostolic 
order,  we  can  hold  fellowship  with  all  who  acknowledge  Christ,  and  act 
efficiently  in  the  work  of  restoring  unity  to  the  divided  Church,  and  of 
bringing  back  harmony  and  peace  among  all  "  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity." 

Thus  recognizing  the  unity  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  all  the  world, 
and  knowing  that  we  are  but  one  branch  of  Christ's  people,  while  adher- 
ing to  our  peculiar  faith  and  order,  we  extend  to  all  believers  the  hand 
of  Christian  fellowship  upon  the  basis  of  those  great  fundamental  truths 
in  which  all  Christians  should  agree.  With  them  we  confess  our  faith  in 
God,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  in- 
carnate Word,  who  is  exalted  to  be  our  Redeemer  and  King;  and  in  the 
Holy  Comforter,  who  is  present  in  the  Church  to  regenerate  and  sanctify 
the  soul. 

With  the  whole  Church,  we  confess  the  common  sinfulness  and  ruin  of 
our  race,  and  acknowledge  that  it  is  only  through  the  work  accomplished 
by  the  life  and  expiatory  death  of  Christ  that  believers  in  him  are  justi- 
fied before  God,  receive  the  remission  of  sins,  and  through  the  presence 
and  grace  of  the  Holy  Comforter  are  delivered  from  the  power  of  sin, 
and  perfected  in  holiness. 

We  believe  also  in  the  organized  and  visible  Church,  in  the  ministry 
of  the  Word,  in  the  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  in  the  final  judgment,  the  issues  of  which 
are  eternal  life  and  everlasting  punishment. 

We  receive  these  truths  on  the  testimony  of  God,  given  through  proph- 
ets and  apostles,  and  in  the  life,  the  miracles,  the  death,  the  resurrection, 
of  his  Son,  our  Divine  Redeemer  —  a  testimony  preserved  for  the  Church 
in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  which  were  composed 
by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Affirming  now  our  belief  that  those  who  thus  hold  "one  faith,  one 
Lord,  one  baptism,"  together  constitute  the  one  catholic  Church,  the  sev- 
eral households  of  which,  though  called  by  different  names,  are  the  one 
body  of  Christ,  and  that  these  members  of  his  body  are  sacredly  bound 
to  keep  "  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,"  we  declare  that 


DECLARATION   OF   FAITH.  403 

we  will  co-operate  with  all  who  hold  these  truths.  With  them  we  will 
carry  the  gospel  iiito  every  part  of  this  land,  and  with  them  we  will  go 
into  all  the  world,  and  "  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature."  May  He 
to  whom  "all  power  is  given  in  heaven  and  earth"  fullillthe  promise 
which  is  all  our  hope:  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world."    Amen. 

Rev.  Prof.  Porter,  of  Connecticut.  I  move  that  the  report  be  adopted. 
I  was  somewhat  disturbed,  1  must  confess,  at  the  proposition  that  the  re- 
port should  be  passed  so  suddenly  yesterday  morning.  The  reason  why 
I  was  disturbed  was  this.  When  I  came  to  this  body,  and  especially, 
when  I  became  acquainted  with  the  committee  to  whom  was  entrusted 
the  preparation  of  this  document,  I  felt  it  to  be  my  Christian  and  sacred 
duty  to  prepare  a  document  which  would  represent  every  phase  of  faith 
held  by  members  of  this  Council  in  such  language  as  they  could  con- 
scientiously accept,  and  in  such  form  that  they  could  cordially  unite  in 
putting  it  forth  as  a  confession  of  their  united  and  common  faith.  I  felt 
sacredly  bound  to  act  truly  and  faithfully  in  the  interest  of  every  phase 
of  doctrine  here  represented.  Under  the  pressure  of  this  acknowledged 
duty,  all  the  committee  acted  in  presenting  their  report,  the  result  of 
three  days'  deliberation.  They  were  so  happy  as  to  find  that  the  report 
was  generally  and  cordially  accepted. 

A  certain  portion  of  the  assembly,  however,  objected  to  two  or  three 
paragraphs,  in  which  the  name  of  that  most  eminent  reformer  and  theo- 
logian, John  Calvin,  occurs,  whom  we  are  proud  to  honor  as  one  of  the 
ablest  theologians  and  noblest  thinkers  that  Christendom  has  ever  pro- 
duced. [Applause.]  In  the  objection,  however,  to  the  introduction  of 
that  name,  both  representative  wings  of  doctrine  united.  Those  who  held 
to  the  extreme  forms  of  Calvinism,  and  some  individuals  more  Calvinistic 
than  Calvin  himself,  objected  to  the  introduction  of  any  human  name. 

When,  then,  it  was  found  the  next  morning,  that  the  proposition  to 
pass  at  once  a  modified  report  was  to  be  acted  upon,  I  felt  hurt,  pained, 
disturbed,  grieved;  for  I  feared  that  a  portion  of  the  Council —  that  por- 
tion which  may  be  said  to  be  most  strenuous  for  the  characters  and  the 
names  of  the  fathers  —  might  feel  that  their  rights  were  not  respected. 
For  that  reason  I  interposed  my  objection. 

I  was  afterwards  so  happy  as  to  learn  that  the  whole  project  originated 
ih  the  brain  of  an  individual  who  represents  that  phase,  if  he  represents 
any  school,  —  the  suggestion  of  a  happy  or  unhappy  inspiration,  —  and 
that  it  did  not  originate  with  any  of  those  who  might  be  supposed  to 
tend  in  a  looser  direction.  The  knowledge  of  that  fact  removes  all  my 
objection  to  passing  the  document  as  modified.  I  am  now  prepared  to 
vote  for  it,  and  think  we  are  all  as  well  prepared  to  vote  for  it  now  as  we 
shall  be  after  two  days  of  discussion.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow,  of  New  Hampshire.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the 
expression,  "  all  who  acknowledge  Christ "? 

Rev.  Dr.  Ada3IS,  of  Maine.  Is  it  proper  for  the  committee  to  make 
any  explanation  of  the  meaning  of  the  report? 


404  DECLARATION    OF    FAITH. 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow.  A  great  many  say  they  "  acknowledge  Christ,'' 
whom  we  do  not  acknowledge. 

Rev.  Prof.  Porter.  We  have  professed  Christ  in  a  certain  form,  and 
we  say  that  we  can  hold  fellowship  with  all  who  acknowledge  Christ  in 
this  way. 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow.    Say  that,  and  we  will  go  for  it 

Rev.  Prof.  Porter.  That  is  implied.  It  was  intended  to  state  our 
faith  in  the  shortest  and  most  devotional  way.  Let  the  critic  whine  and 
the  objector  cavil.  No  honest  man  will  misunderstand  the  meaning  of 
the  Council.  I  stand  upon  my  responsibility  before  all  classes  of  theolo- 
gians in  this  Council,  and  before  the  Christian  world,  that  there  can  be 
no  misconstruction  in  language  of  this  sort. 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow.  My  object  is  answered,  if  this  explanation  goes 
out  with  the  Declaration  of  Faith. 

Rev.  Prof.  Porter.  I  think  it  will.  We  are  here  as  a  Council  rep- 
resenting all  phases  of  Christian  doctrine,  including  those  theologians 
irreverently  called  the  "  twice-baked  crackers,"  and  also  if  there  be  any 
Uke  "  cakes  unturned,"  who  need  to  be  put  into  a  theological  seminary 
and  baked  again,  we  include  them.  We  include  representatives  from  the 
Eastern  shore  of  Maine  to  the  Western  shore  that  is  washed  by  the  Pa- 
cific; and  now  from  each  beach  let  there  go  up  in  the  face  of  heaven  our 
united  speech  "  We  are  one."    [Prolonged  applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Stone,  of  New  Hampshire,  moved  to  amend  the  clause 
confessing  faith  in  God,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
in  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  Holy  Comforter,  so  as  to  read,  "  we 
confess  our  faith  in  one  only  living  and  true  God,  cmisisting  in 
God,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee,  the  amendment 
was  laid  upon  the  table. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee,  it  was  ordered 
that  there  be  no  further  debate  upon  this  report. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Adams,  of  Maine,  it  was  ordered  that 
the  Declaration  of  Faith  be  again  read,  that  prayer  be  then  of- 
fered, and  the  question  be  then  taken  upon  the  adoption,  not 
only  of  the  report,  as  to  verbal  amendments,  but  of  the  Decla- 
ration of  Faith,  as  a  whole,  as  reported  by  the  committee  this 
morning. 

The  Declaration  of  Faith  was  accordingly  again  read,  in  a 
distinct  and  impressive  manner,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Stearns. 

Prayer  was  oflFered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer  of  New  York. 

The  vote  was  then  taken  by  rising  upon  the  adoption  of  the 
above  Declaration  of  Faith,  and  it  was  adopted,  nem,  can.  [Ap- 
plause.] 


CHURCH    IN    WASHINGTON.  405 

At  the  suggestion  of  Rev.  Prof.  Porter,  it  was  agreed  to  sing 
"  My  faith  looks  up  to  thee,"  to  be  followed,  at  the  suggestion 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Stearns,  by  the  old  doxology,  "  To  God  the  Father, 
God  the  Son;"  and,  at  the  suggestion  of  Hon.  Mr.  Hammond, 
the  Council  rose  while  singing. 

The  Council  then  took  their  usual  recess  until  3  o'clock 
p.  M. 

AFTERKOOK '  SESSION. 

The  Council  met  at  3  o'clock. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  Business  Committee,  submitted 
some  resolutions,  without  any  recommendation,  which  were,  on 
motion  of  Dr.  Dutton,  referred  back  to  the  committee,  to  be 
disposed  of  by  them  as  they  should  think  proper. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint  also  submitted  the  following  resolution,  which 
was  referred  to  the  committee  on  the  Erection  of  a  Church  in 
Washington : 

Resolved,  That  this  Council  recommend,  that  from  the  amount  raised 
for  church  building  in  central  localities  at  the  South,  a  sum  not  exceeding 
$50,000  be  appropriated  by  the  American  Congregational  Union,  for 
the  establishment  of  a  Congregational  church  in  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  provided  that  an  amount  equal  to  the  sum  appropriated  by 
the  American  Congregational  Union  aforesaid  be  received  from  other 
sources. 

The  following  order  was  also  submitted  by  the  Business  Com- 
mittee : 

Ordered,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  report  to  this  Council  a 
brief  paper  on  the  subject  of  worship  —  not  an  order  of  worship — but 
worship  both  in  public  and  private. 

Rev.  A.  P.  Marvin,  of  Massachusetts.  I  will  say  to  the  Council  that 
this  does  not  propose  the  adoption  of  an  order  of  worship,  or  a  form  of 
worship.  It  is  no  crotchet  about  altering  our  forms  of  worship,  but  simply 
worship;  and  it  is  brought  in  in  consequence  of  a  conversation  with  Dr. 
Kirk.  As  he  has  not  brought  it  in,  I  have;  and  if  I  may  be  allowed  a 
suggestion,  without  interfering  with  'the  business  of  the  nominating 
committee,  I  would  suggest  that  Dr.  Kirk  be  the  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee. 

The  order  was  adopted. 

The  following  resolution  was  also  presented  by  Mr.  Quint,  in 
behalf  of  the  Business  Committee : 

Ecsolved,  That  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  always  spoke  openly,  and 


406  AMERICAN    CONGREGATIONAL   ASSOCIATION. 

said  nothing  in  secret,  and  is  alone  entitled  to  the  unqualified  faith  of  his 
followers,  this  Council  hereby  utters  its  solemn  testimony  against  all 
secret  associations  which  bind  their  members  by  extra-judicial  oaths  or 
obligations. 

The  resolution  was  laid  upon  the  table. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  May  I  interrupt  the  reading  of  the 
report  of  the  Committee  on  Business  with  one  suggestion?  Is  it  not  time 
for  us  to  instruct  the  Business  Committee  not  to  bring  any  new  business 
before  this  Council?  We  may  sit  here  longer  than  the  Council  of  Trent, 
if  we  are  to  entertain  every  pet  notion  that  anybody  may  choose  to  lay 
before  that  committee. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut  I  wish  Dr.  Bacon  would  modify 
the  motion,  so  that  the  committee  be  empowered  to  use  their  discretion 
about  submitting  matters  to  this  body.  There  may  something  come 
before  them  that  the  Council  would  like  to  act  upon. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  The  order  could  be  suspended,  if  anything  extraor- 
dinary came  up.  But  I  would  move  that  the  Business  Committee  be 
instructed  to  present  no  new  business. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton.  We  shall  not  save  ourselves  in  that  way.  These 
matters  will  force  themselves  through  the  body,  if  we  shut  up  the  Busi- 
ness Committee  in  that  way;  but  if  we  empower  the  Business  Com- 
mittee to  use  their  discretion,  we  shall  have  no  new  business  that  is  not 
important.    I  move  that  amendment. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon  accepted  the  amendment,  and  the  motion,  in 
that  form,  passed. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quhit  presented  another  resolution  regarding  rais-  , 
ing  money,  which,  on  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Holbrook,  of  New 
York,  was  referred  to  the  committee  already  appointed  on  that 
subject. 

Mr.  Quint  also  submitted  the  following  resolution  from  the 
Business  Committee,  statmg  that  it  originated  from  the  ques- 
tion raised  in  the  morning  whether  unlimited  membership  was 
perfectly  consistent  with  the  security  of  the  property  of  the 
American  Congregational  Association,  and  was  prepared  by 
Hon.  Mr.  Barstow,  of  Rhode  Island. 

Whereas,  this  Council  has  recommended  that  the  sum  of  8100,000  bo 
raised  for  the  purpose  of  erecting,  in  the  city  of  Boston,  a  suitable  build- 
ing for  an  American  Congregational  House,  therefore, 

B.tsolved^  That  said  association  be  requested  to  seek  such  change  of 
its  charter,  or  make  such  change  in  the  3d  article  of  its  Constitution, 
as  shall  better  secure  the  property  held  thereby  to  those  who  represent 
our  faith  in  coming  generations. 


RESOLUTIONS.  407 

Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  of  Massachusetts.  I  would  move  that  the  name 
"  Congregational  House  "  be  substituted  for  the  phrase,  "  building  erected 
for  the  Congregational  Association." 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow,  of  New  Hampshire.  I  hope  that  alteration  will 
not  be  made.  The  name  in  the  preamble  is  exactly  what  the  Associa- 
tion bears;  and,  whatever  name  we  give  to  the  house,  it  will  be  controlled 
for  ever  by  the  Association  to  which  we  give  the  name.  It  is  a  house  to 
be  erected  for  the  American  Congregational  Association. 

Rev.  Dr.  Anderson.  I  want  to  say  that  there  are  conveniences  in 
having  the  name  retained,  if  you  retain  the  other  name.  I  would  suggest 
that  it  read,  "  A  Congregational  House,  for  the  use  of  the  American  Con- 
gregational Association." 

The  amendment  was  adopted  and  the  resolution  passed. 
The  Business  Committee  also  submitted  the  following  resolu- 
tions, which  were  referred  to  a  special  committee :  — 

Besolved,  That  this  Council  desires  to  record  its  sense  of  the  impor- 
tance of  the  worship  of  God's  house,  independently  of  the  sermon,  usu- 
ally and  justly  holding  with  us  so  conspicuous  a  place,  while  there  is 
reason  to  apprehend  suflScient  attention  is  not  always  given  to  reading, 
prayer,  and  praise,  with  a  view  to  make  them,  in  the  highest  practical 
measure,  attractive,  awakening,  and  edifying. 

Resolved,  That  our  mode  of  public  worship,  especially  of  prayer,  —  so 
plain  and  simple,  but  happily  aftbrding  scope  for  the  utmost  variety  of 
thought,  and  beautiful  adaptation  to  the  ever-changing  experience  of 
life,  —  should  be  conducted,  not  with  reference  to  instruction,  or  asser- 
tion of  doctrine,  or  notification  to  men  of  passing  events,  which  is  a 
degradation,  but  with  a  view  pre-eminently  to  the  producing  of  devout 
emotion,  and  the  commingling  of  all  hearts  in  one  spirit  of  confession, 
supplication,  and  praise. 

Besolvedy  That  we  recommend  to  ministers  to  give  much  more  atten- 
tion to  this  part  of  divine  service,  and  to  teachers  in  our  theological 
seminaries  to  endeavor  to  impart  a  better  preparation  for  this  part  of  a 
minister's  service. 

The  following  preamble  and  resolutions,  also  presented  by 
the  Business  Committee,  were  referred  to  the  committee  on 
Devotional  Exercises :  — 

Whereas,  We,  the  members  of  the  National  Council,  recognize  in  our 
deliberations  a  degree  of  unanimity  and  cordiality  which  was  hardly  to 
be  expected  in  view  of  the  wide  separation  of  our  churches  in  space,  and 
the  diversity  of  experiences  and  influences  under  which  they  have  been 
trained  in  the  Providence  of  God.    Therefore, 

Besolved,  1st,  That  we  do  hereby  cordially  and  unanimously  assert 
our  assent  to  the  general  course  of  action  in  this  Council 

2d.  That  we  devoutly  thank  God  for  the  evidence  developed  in  this 


408  APPORTIONMENT    COMMITTEE. 

assembly  that  we  are  harmonious  in  our  views  of  the  teachings  of  God'S 
word,  and  the  leadings  of  his  providence  in  our  times. 

3d.  That  before  the  close  of  this  Council  we  will  unite  in  the  observ- 
ance of  the  Lord's  Supper  (at  such  time  and  in  such  manner  as  the  com- 
mittee on  Devotional  Exercises  may  deem  best),  whereby  we  trust  all 
our  minds  may  be  turned  to  Him  who  is  the  source  of  all  our  hopes  and 
convictions  as  Christians,  and  all  our  hearts  united  in  the  love  of  our 
Saviour,  the  great  Head  of  the  Church. 

Mr.  Quint  stated  that  the  Business  Committee  recommended 
that  the  session  be  extended  until  half-past  six,  in  the  hope  that 
the  business  might  be  finished  by  to-morrow  noon.  The  recom- 
mendation was  adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  from  the  Committee  on  Nominations, 
offered  the  following  report :  — 

COMMITTEE   ON   THE   APPORTIONMENT   OF   THE  $750,000. 

New  York,  —  Deacon  Samuel  Holmes,  Rev.  John  C.  Holbrook,  D.  D., 
Rev.  L.  Smith  Hobart 

Maine.  —  Charles  A.  Lord,  Rev.  Uriah  Balkam,  Rev.  Seth  H. 
Keeler,  D.  D. 

New  Havipshire,  —  Rev.  Alvan  Tobey,  Rev.  Henry  E.  Parker,  Hon. 
Thomas  J.  Melvin. 

Vermont  —  Rev.  Lewis  O.  Brastow,  Kev.  George  P.  Tyler,  Hon.  Ira 
Goodhue. 

Massachusetts.  —  Rev.  Ariel  E.  P.  Perkins,.  Hon.  Allen  W.  Dodge, 
Marshall  S.  Scudder. 

Connecticut.  —  Rev.  Davis  S.  Brainerd,  Rev.  Hiram  P.  Arms,  D.  D., 
Deacon  George  "W.  Shelton. 

Bhode  Island.  —  Hon.  Amos  C.  Bars  tow. 

New  Jersey.  —  Lowell  Mason,  Jr. 

Pennsylvania.  —  Rev.  Edward  Hawes. 

Delaware.  —  Deacon  Abner  H.  Bryant. 

Maryland.  —  Nathaniel  Noyes. 

Ohio.  —  Rev.  Thomas  Wickes,  D.  D.,  Rev.  John  C.  Hart 

Tennessee.  —  Rev.  Thomas  E.  Bliss. 

Indiana.  —  Deacon  A.  G.  Willard. 

Illinois.  —  Rev.  Richard  C.  Dunn,  Rev.  William  Carter. 

Michigan.  —  Rev.  Herbert  A.  Read,  Rev.  Hiram  Elmer. 

Wisconsin.  —  Rev.  Edward  G.  Miner,  Rev.  Isaac  N.  CundalL 

Iowa.  —  Rev.  Jesse  Guernsey,  Seth  Richards. 

Minnesota.  —  Rev.  Charles  Seccombe. 

Missouri,  —  Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  Jr. 

Kansas.  —  William  H.  Watson. 

Nebraska  Territory.  —  Rev.  Reuben  Gaylord« 

Colorado. — Rev.  WilUam  Crawford. 

California.  —  Jacob  Bacon. 

Oregon.  —  Rev.  George  H.  Atkinson. 


APPORTIONMENT    COMMITTEE.  409 

COMMITTEE  ON  PRAYEB  AND  FASTING. 

Rev.  Leonard  Swain,  D.  D.,  R.  L;  Rev.  Geo.  A.  Oviatt,  Conn.;  Rev. 
Erastus  Maltby,  Mass. 

Rov.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  I  want  to  ask  what  the  first  of 
these  committees  is  for  ? 

Rev.  Mr.  Lanoworthy.  I  was  not  present,  and,  so  far  as  I  can  learn, 
neither  of  my  colleagues  were,  when  this  committee  was  ordered. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut    It  was  to  apportion  the  8750,000. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  If  that  is  the  meaning  of  it,  I  say  the  raising  of 
the  $750,000  becomes  an  impossibility  the  moment  it  is  attempted  in 
that  way. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York.  I  would  ask  if  we  have  not  just 
now  passed  a  resolution  covering  that  whole  ground,  and  defining  that 
that  was  not  an  amendment,  but  a  reconsideration  ? 

Rev.  Dr.  IIolbrook,  of  New  York.  I  understand  this  committee  to 
be  a  committee  to  devise  ways  and  moans  for  raising  the  $750,000. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  I  understand  that  the  idea  is  (and 
if  I  am  wrong,  I  desire  to  be  corrected),  to  assess,  in  the  form  of  a 
recommendation,  the  8750,000  among  the  several  States.  That  being 
the  motion  before  us,  to  appoint  a  committee  who  shall  consider  that 
method  of  raising  money,  I  want  to  say  that,  supposing  a  programme 
comes  out,  saying,  specifically,  that  the  churches  in  Massachusetts  should 
pay  a  certain  portion  of  it,  and  the  churches  in  the  State  of  California 
pay  a  certain  portion,  and  the  one  church  in  the  State  of  Delaware  pay 
a  certain  portion,  if  the  one  church  in  the  State  of  Delaware  don't  pay 
that  portion,  it  never  will  be  paid;  and  if  the  churches  in  California 
don't  pay  their  portion,  no  other  State  will  make  it  up;  for  the  utmost 
that  you  can  expect,  when  you  make  such  an  assessment,  is  that  any 
church  or  State  on  which  a  certain  amount  is  apportioned,  will  raise  that 
amount.  A  good  many  will  inevitably  fail  to  make  up  their  part,  and  it 
will  be  impossible  to  secure  the  $750,000.  The  only  way  of  raising  the. 
money  is  to  appeal  to  the  universal  sympathy,  love,  charity,  and  zeal  of 
the  whole  body  of  our  churches. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  raised  the  point  of  order 
that  the  Council  had  already  voted  to  appoint  a  committee  to 
consider  this  subject,  and  that  the  committee  just  nominated  by 
the  Nominating  Committee  was  the  committee  thus  ordered, 
and  the  chair  so  ruled.  The  report  of  the  committee  was  then 
adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  from  the  Committee  on  Evangelization  at 
the  South  and  West,  reported,  in  reference  to  a  church  in  Balti- 
more, that  they  would  move  that  this  Council  commend  the 
object,  and  refer  it  to  the  special  consideration  of  the  American 
Congi-egational  Union.     Adopted. 


410  BENEVOLENT   SOCIETIES. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Badger  (representing  California), 
Hon.  Samuel  A.  Chapin,  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  was  admit- 
ted as  an  honorary  member. 

Rev.  William  A.  Stearns,  d.  d.,  of  Massachusetts,  from  the 
committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  paper  on  Systematizing  Be- 
nevolent Contributions,  submitted  their  report,  as  follows :  * — 

REPOKT  OF  COMMITTEE  ON  BENEVOLENT  SOCIETIES. 

The  committee  to  whom  was  submitted  the  paper  entitled  "  Systema- 
tizing Benevolent  Contributions"  ask  leave  to  report,  that  they  have 
given  as  mnch  time  to  the  consideration  of  the  subject  of  the  paper  as 
your  intervals  of  business  and  their  other  engagements  would  allow, 
and  see  no  reason  to  dissent  from  the  general  views  and  statements  pre- 
sented by  the  original  committee. 

They  were  evidently  embarrassed,  as  all  who  give  attention  to  the 
facts  and  circumstances  of  the  case  must  be,  by  the  number  of  existing 
organizations  engaged  in  important  enterprises,  and  by  the  difficulty  of 
connecting  those  organizations  by  an}'  wise  and  practicable  plans  of  con- 
centration. If  the  authors  of  the  paper  had  any  such  end  in  view  when 
they  commenced  the  work  assigned  them,  they  were  evidently  brought 
to  despair  of  its  accomplishment,  Your  committee  fully  agree  with 
them  in  the  opinion  that  much  less  can  be  safely  attempted  towards 
reducing  the  number  of  benevolent  associations,  and  giving  greater 
breadth  and  power  to  a  few  which  might  be  specially  recommended  to 
public  confidence,  than  the  inexperienced  in  such  an  eftbrt  would  natu- 
rally imagine.  Most  of  these  societies  have  long  since  attained  to  the 
dignity  and  stability  of  years  and  experience,  and  have  acquired  confi- 
dence by  valuable  services.  Most  of  th^  have  their  own  charters,  their 
own  endowments,  their  own  special  patrons  and  friends,  and  their  own 
specific  works.  They  have  also  a  history  and  a  life,  and  would  be  de- 
stroyed only  by  undesirable  pressure  and  violence.  The  work  of  evan- 
gelizing the  heathen  and  nominally  Christian  nations  abroad,  and  of 
converting  the  population  of  our  own  country  wholly  to  Christ,  is  the 
one  work,  generally  speaking,  which  as  Christians  and  Congregation- 
alists  we  are  all  interested,  in  connection  with  the  upbuilding  of  our  own 
churches,  to  achieve;  and  we  suppose  it  to  be  an  established  fact  that 
this  work  must  be  carried  on  among  us  through  the  agency  of  the  great 
missionary  and  other  benevolent  associations  which  have  been  estab- 
lished for  the  purpose. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  forgotten  that  new  and  great  opportunities 
for  Christian  effort  have  been  opened  to  us  by  the  results  of  the  war. 
The  colored  freedmen,  the  long  neglected  whites  of  the  Soutli,  the  in- 
rushing,  enterprising,  diversified  populations  of  the  West,  even  more 
than  before,  all  demand  Christian  sympathy  and  assistance,  which  can 

*  The  report  is  here  printed  as  finally  adopted,  —  the  original  paper  not  being  obtain- 
able. The  slight  alterations  made  from  the  original  will  be  easily  gathered  from  the 
discossions. 


BENEVOLENT   SOCIETIES.  411 

be  best  afforded,  sometimes  by  the  old  organizations,  and  sometimes 
perhaps  by  temporary  associations  formed  expressly  for  their  benefit. 
We  can  not  restrict  the  liberty  of  the  churches  in  selecting  the  fields  of 
their  labor,  the  objects  of  their  benevolence,  and  the  channels  through 
which  they  would  bestow  their  contributions. 

Your  committee,  therefore,  in  view  of  the  whole  subject,  would  limit 
themselves  to  a  few  simple  suggestions,  and  those  chiefly  in  accordance 
with  the  sentiments  of  the  paper  before  them. 

1.  They  suggest  that  it  is  exceedingly  desirable  that  the  disposition  to 
Christian  giving  should  be  greatly  intensified  and  extended — that  all 
the  members  of  our  larger  churches  should  be  educated  and  accustomed 
to  it,  and  that  pains  should  be  taken  to  interest  not  only  the  smaller,  but 
the  smallest  churches  in  it.  Of  this  last  character,  it  is  believed  that 
there  are  large  numbers  which  are  rarely  visited  by  the  agents  of  be- 
nevolent societies,  for  the  reason  that  such  agents  do  not  find  this  work 
pecuniarily  remunerative  to  the  associations  which  employ  them.  In 
consequence  of  tliis  neglect,  while  the  pecuniary  loss  to  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  is  great,  the  loss  of  Christian  growth,  through  the  disuse  of  giv- 
ing, is  far  greater  and  deplorable.  We  would  call  the  attention  of  min- 
isterial associations,  church  conferences,  agents  of  benevolent  societies, 
pastors,  and  churches,  to  this  subject,  that  they  may  inquire,  in  their 
respective  localities  and  relations,  what  can  be  done  to  develop  the 
benevolence  of  all  churches  and  Christians  within  the  reach  of  their 
influence. 

■  2.  Your  committee  suggest,  that  it  may  be  safe  and  wise  to  presume 
that  intelligent  Christians,  in  selecting  societies,  will  naturally  give  their 
preference  to  those  whose  work,  as  defined,  come  nearest  to  that  "  fool- 
ishness of  preaching  "  by  which  Christ  saves  those  who  believe. 

3.  Your  committee  suggest,  that  without  infringing  upon  the  liberty 
of  the  churches  and  of  private  Christians,  in  their  selection  of  societies, 
and  because  we  are  afraid  that  many  churches,  especially  at  the  West, 
would  esteem  it  a  great  favor  to  be  informed  of  the  facts,  it  may  be  well 
for  this  body  to,  say  that  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  the 
American  Missionary  Association,  have  the  confidence  of  our  churches, 
and  have  been  accustomed  to  receive  and  disburse  most  of  the  charities 
intended  to  subserve  the  ends  for  which  these  societies  were  formed; 
that  the  American  Education  Society,  for  the  increase  of  the  number  of 
Christian  ministers;  the  Society  for  Promoting  Collegiate  and  Theologi- 
cal Education  at  the  West,  having  the  same  general  object  in  view;  the 
American  Bible  Society  for  the  translation  and  distribution  of  the  Word 
of  God ;  the  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union  for  diffusing  the 
simple  gospel  among  nations  and  communities  whose  Christianity  has 
been  sadly  corrupted,  and  in  some  instances  almost  destroyed  by  human 
additions  and  superstitions;  the  old  and  well-established  societies  for  the 
benefit  of  seamen,  and  for  the  gathering  and  improving  of  Sabbath 
Schools,  and  the  Christian  education  of  children  in  them;  the  Congrega- 
tional Board  of  Publication,  and  the  American  Congregational  Asso- 


412  BEXITOLENT   SOCKTIX8. 

ciation, — have  all  been  sanctioned  bj  the  customs  of  the  eh  arches,  loi 
by  the  recommendations,  often  repeated,  of  numerous  reli^oos  bodiei 
among  ns;  also  that  the  objects  for  which  the  American  Tract  Societies 
were  instituted,  namely,  the  distribution  of  religious  books  and  tracts, 
especially  in  settlements  supposed  to  be  destitute  of  them,  are  considered 
by  this  Council  as  of  great  importance,  and  are  cordially  recommended 
to  the  churches;  also  that,  whereas  there  are  many  associations  for  the 
benefit  of  the  freedmen,  —  the  paper  under  consideration  says  at  least 
twelve,  others  say  as  many  as  eighteen  within  their  knowledge,— it 
would  seem  desirable  to  concentrate  such  agencies,  so  far  as  our  contri- 
butions are  concerned,  into  some  one  responsible  body  sufficiently  known 
and  approved  to  be  worthy  of  our  confidence;  and  as  the  Americaa 
Missionary  Association  has  undertaken  this  work,  we  are  happy  to  saj 
that  in  our  judgment  there  is  no  existing  organization  which  has  better 
adaptations  to  the  successful  performance  of  it;  also,  and  as  a  matter  of 
special  importance,  that  an  effort  to  encourage  and  aid  church  building, 
especially  at  the  West  and  South,  should  be  earnestly  carried  forward 
by  the  Congregational  Union,  which  has  undertaken  this>  enterprise. 

4.  Your  committee  suggest,  that  while  it  is  not  expedient  for  this 
Council  to  attempt  constrained  conjunctions  of  societies,  nor  in  their 
power  to  furnish  perfect  systems  of  Christian  giving  which  may  be 
applicable  to  all  cases,  it  is  the  legitimate  business  of  each  church,  and 
would  conduce  greatly  to  its  order  and  comfort,  to  decide,  after  full 
consideration  for  themselves,  what  objects  they  will  patronize,  what 
societies  they  will  employ  as  their  organs,  and  at  what  times  they  will 
make  their  contributions.  They  can  adopt  either  of  the  plans  suggested 
in  the  paper  before  us,  or  construct  a  plan  each  for  itself,  always  regard- 
ing the  ability  of  the  church,  and  adopting  such  courses  as  may  be 
most  conducive  to  good  order  and  most  fruitful  in  good  works.  Your 
committee  can  not  think  that  impulsive  giving  to  irresponsible  solicitors, 
when  the  circumstances  can  not  be  well  understood,  is  either  required  by 
our  Lord,  or  is  conducive  to  the  edification  of  his  church.  New  objects 
of  high  importance  will  often  demand  consideration;  but  it  enter- 
tained at  all,  they  should  be  regarded  only  as  occasional  and  extraor- 
dinary. 

Finally,  your  committee  suggest  that  it  would  be  a  great  saving  of 
exi>ense  and  confusion,  and  for  the  edification  of  the  churches,  if  the 
pastors  would  undertake,  as  far  as  may  be  practicable,  to  act  themselves 
as  agents  in  behalf  of  the  several  objects  for  which  the  churches  under- 
their  care  may  choose  to  contribute;  and  that  while  agents  may  be 
invited  when  necessary  to  communicate  information,  the  systematic 
efforts  of  pastors  and  churches  should  be  our  main  reliance  for  securing 
those  stated  contributions  which  our  churches  may  choose  to  bestow. 

W.  A.  Stearns, 

J.  H.  LiNSLEY, 

WoosTER  Parker, 
Calvin  B.  Cady, 
H.  A.  Miner, 
Jeremiah  Buti^r. 


AMERICAN    CONGREGATIONAL   UNION,  413 

Rev.  Mr.  Adams,  of  New  Hampshire.  I  would  suggest  a  single  verbal 
alteration.  In  the  place  of  "  The  Foreign  Evangelical  Society,"  what 
I  suppose  the  committee  meant  was  "The  American  and  Foreign 
Christian  Union." 

The  amendment  was  accepted. 

A  Member.  I  notice  the  omission  of  any  reference  to  the  Congrega- 
tional Board  of  Publication,  which  is  to  our  denomination  what  similar 
boards  are  to  other  denominations.  It  has  a  fund,  and  is  prepared  to 
issue  tracts  to  supply  missionaries  at  the  West,  to  a  certain  extent. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  of  Massachusetts.  I  would  like  very  much, 
Mr.  Moderator,  with  your  permission  and  the  permission  of  the  Council, 
to  say  a  word,  as  I  could  not  get  the  floor  when  the  subjects  of  Evangeli- 
zation at  the  South  and  West  and  Chiurch  Building  were  under  discus- 
sion. 

After  sixteen  or  twenty  other  good  societies,  —  they  are  all  good, 
brethren,  —  I  have  not  a  word  to  say  against  one  of  them, —  after  these 
other  societies  have  reaped  the  field,  the  committee  kindly  suggest  that 
the  American  Congregational  Union  is  a  very  good  society  through  which 
to  aid  in  building  houses  of  worship  at  the  South  and  West  Now,  I  do 
want,  exceedingly,  an  expression  from  this  body  in  regard  to  church 
building.  There  was  a  general  **  omnibus  bill "  passed  here  the  other 
day.  saying  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  raise  ^200,000  to  build 
churches.  I  have  very  little  hope  from  that  expression.  It  does  not 
reach  the  point.  Not  one  half  of  the  churches  have  ever  recognized  this 
object.  They  have  looked  upon  it  as  a  very  clever  thing  in  its  way  to 
do  something  toward  building  meeting-houses,  but  they  have  never  lifted 
a  finger  to  help.  I  have  worked  at  this  matter  for  eight  years,  and  1 
have  said  a  good  mjmy  things  —  some  of  them,  perhaps,  not  very  wisely. 
The  brethren  of  the  West  have  felt  themselves  very  dependent  upon  this 
aid ;  and  I  say,  if  this  matter  is  passed  over  in  this  way,  we  shall  not 
raise  the  §200,000,  nor  even  820,000.  If  you  make  this  object  dependent 
upon  putting  another  month  into  the  year,  —  as  one  minister  told  me,  he 
would  take  up  a  collection  for  the  Congregational  Union  if  I  would 
make  thirteen  months  in  a  year,  —  I  say,  if  you  make  this  object  depend- 
ent upon  that,  nothing  will  be  done. 

All  these  commercial  societies  are  doing  a  good  work,  but  are  they 
first,  second,  or  third  in  importance  to  our  churches  at  the  present  time  ? 
If  you  so  decide,  let  this  matter  slide;  let  it  take  care  of  itself;  I  cer- 
tainly do  not  want  to  press  it  upon  you.  To  me  it  is  a  very  important 
and  vital  thing.  It  seemed  to  me  that  if  there  could  be  two  or  three 
short  resolutions  passed,  something  to  this  eff*ect:  "  That  we  will  do  our 
utmost  to  double  our  contributions  to  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society  and  the  American  Missionary  Association,  and  go  on  in  the  same 
way  year  after  year,"  (for  these  societies  will  need  double) ;  and  then 
if  you  would  say,  "  We  ^viU  put  the  church  building  work  of  the  Ameri- 


414  AMERICAN   CONGREGATIONAL  UNION. 

can  Congregational  Union  on  onr  calendar  for  annual  contributions,  and 
recommend  others  to  do  the  same,"— I  say,  that  if  some  such  resolutions 
could  be  passed,  something  would  be  done.  We  never  shall  raise  one  half 
or  one  quarter  of  !J200,000  unless  this  society  comes  nearer  to  you  than  the 
fifteenth  or  sixteenth  to  which  you  are  called  upon  to  contribute.  Can 
there  not  be  something  said  that  will  make  this  report  a  little  more  de- 
cided, and  so  that  we  shall  know  the  opinion  of  the  Council  on  this  church 
building  work  ? 

I  feel  keenly  on  this  subject  It  is  my  specialty,  you  say;  but  I  hare 
been  called  upon  to  make  it  so,  and  I  believe  it  is  vital  to  our  denomina- 
tion that  this  matter  should  be  acted  upon  by  the  CounciL  Do  you  ask 
me  how  many  of  the  churches  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  con- 
tribute to  this  object  ?  About  one  in  twenty;  and  most  of  these  only  at 
my  importunity.  Not  fifty  churches  in  New  England  have  it  on  their 
calendar,  and  make  regular  contributions  to  it. 

I  ought  to  say  now,  that  since  this  Council  commenced  its  session,  I  have 
received  letters  which  assure  me  that,  if  the  good  work  of  the  Lord  shall 
prosper  in  Southern  Missouri  .for  twelve  months,  as  it  has  for  the  last  three 
months,  our  receipts  of  last  year,  and  our  prospective  receipts  for  the 
year  to  come,  would  not  meet  the  demands  for  church  building  in  Mis- 
souri alone.  Perhaps  there  will  be  a  cessation,  but  if  brother  Turner 
goes  on  as  he  has  been  going  on  for  three  months,  we  shall  not  have 
enough  to  meet  the  wants  of  that  State;  and  that,  too,  without  appropri- 
ating more  than  S500  to  any  one  church.  And  yet,  from  all  the  South 
and  West  are  coming  floods  of  letters  asking  for  contributions. 

Rev.  Dr.  Holbrook,  of  New  York.  I  sympathize  very  much  with 
the  remarks  of  Mr.  Langworthy,  but  I  will  not  add  anything  except  to 
say  that  this  subject  will  come  up  again  in  connection  with  the  report  of 
the  committee  which  has  just  been  appointed  for  devising  ways  and 
means  for  raising  funds.  It  was  my  purpose  to  propose  a  plan,  if  nobody 
else  did,  by  which  that  sum  of  ^200,000  should  be  raised  for  church 
building.  When  that  committee  shall  report,  the  whole  subject  will  be 
before  us. 

Rev.  Dr.  Stearns,  of  Massachusetts.  A  word  of  explanation.  The 
committee,  in  preparing  this  report,  did  not  overlook  the  importance  of 
this  society,  and  did  not  intend  to  put  it  in  an  inferior  position.  We 
hardly  thought  it  was  best  to  begin  with  that  society,  and  we  thought 
the  next  best  place  was  the  end,  as  the  beginning  and  the  end  are  more 
likely  to  attract  attention  than  any  other  parts.  [Laughter.]  We 
thought  we  gave  this  society  a  good  position,  —  not  the  highest,  but 
perhaps  what  might  be  next  to  it.  Besides  that,  we  supposed  there 
might  be  a  special  resolution  on  the  subject,  and  I  should  be  very  glad, 
for  one,  to  vote  for  one  presented  by  the  secretary  of  that  society,  or  by 
some  committee  which  should  urge  this  object  with  as  much  eloquence 
as  it  is  proper  to  introduce  into  a  resolution.  But  we  could  not  do  every- 
thing in  a  little  report  like  this. 


THE   TRACT   SOCIETIES,  415 

On  motion,  the  report  was  amended  by  the  insertion  of  the 
"  Congregational  Board  of  Publication." 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York.  I  move  to  amend  the  report  by 
omitting  the  paragraph  referring  to  the  two  Tract  Societies.  I  don't  wish 
to  discuss  the  question.  I  have  no  desire  that  the  Council  should  express 
itself  in  favor  of  either  of  these  societies.  There  are  obvious  reasons 
why  we  should  specially  urge  the  claims  of  the  society  whose  center  is 
in  this  city  of  Boston,  and  whose  history  has  been  one  of  unswerving 
fidelity  to  the  cause  of  freedom  and  humanity.  [Applause.]  But  I  do 
not  care  to  discuss  the  matter.  As  it  stands  now,  the  two  societies  are 
evenly  balanced,  and  while  neither  is  specially  commended,  they  are 
thrown  out  before  the  public  as  having,  equally,  the  sanction  of  this 
body.    I  much  prefer  that  we  should  say  nothing  about  either. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  of  New  York.  I  would  ask  if  the  motion  con- 
templates striking  out  the  reference  to  the  N.  Y.  Society  in  the  original 
report  ? 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson.  Not  at  all.  I  hope  the  original  report  will 
remain,  to  be  printed  with  the  various  documents  before  the  body.  That 
involves  no  action  on  our  part.  The  action  now  proposed  is  action  by 
this  body  on  that  report. 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington.  I  am  perfectly  willing  that  no  reference  should 
be  made  to  the  two  Tract  Societies  —  perfectly  willing  ;  but,  for  one,  I 
should  feel  as  though  the  courtesy  which  is  due  to  the  various  opinions 
of  this  denomination  was  violated  if  we  should,  directly  or  indirectly, 
put  the  seal  of  our  approbation  as  a  Council  up<5n  either  of  those  socie- 
ties. I  stood  by  the  side  of  my  brother.  Dr.  Thompson,  at  the  time  of 
the  revolutionary  proceedings  in  the  Brick  Church,  and  in  Lafayette 
Square  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  and  I  am  free  to  say  that  my  sympa- 
thies were  strongly  with  the  policy  that  enforced  upon  the  original 
society  the  introduction  of  those  topics  that  were  then  agitated.  If  I 
understand  the  matter  now,  both  societies  are  based  upon  the  same  prin- 
ciples, and  doing  the  same  work  of  patriotism,  in  the  spirit  of  a  common 
catholicity  and  Christianity.  I  am  quite  sure  that  this  Council,  —  in  view 
of  the  course  it  has  taken  hitherto,  of  respecting  not  only  the  opinions 
of  the  minority  upon  all  points  of  theological  sentiment,  but  the  opinions 
and  feelings  of  the  smallest  minority  among  us,  —  would  not  be  willing, 
but  on  the  contrary  would  take  special  pains  not  to  throw  its  influence 
against  any  organization  which  at  the  present  time  is  the  cherished 
organ  of  persons  who,  hand  in  hand  and  heart  to  heart,  are  doing  the 
common  work  alike  of  patriotism  and  of  religion. 

The  object  I  have  in  rising  is  simply  to  say  this  :  that  if  Dr.  Thompson 
contemplates  the  erasure  from  the  original  report  of  that  unkind,  and,  as  it 
seems  to  me,  unchristian  and  uncourteous  reference  to  a  society  in  which 
I  have  no  special  interest,  and  wiUi  which  I  did  not  sympathize  at  the 
time  of  the  agitation  to  which  I  have  referred,  but  with  which  I  feel 


416  THE  TRACT   SOCIETIES. 

obliged  to  sympathize  now,  if  I  can  sympathize  with  the  society  at 
Boston,  —  as  I  cordially  do, — I  can  have  no  objection  to  nis  motion. 
But  I  am  not  willing,  as  a  member  of  this  Council,  that  we  should 
commit  ourselves  to  a  censure  upon  a  body  of  men  who,  by  their 
action  during  the  past  four  years,  have  shown  themselves  to  be  as 
cordial,  as  intelligent,  as  whole-hearted  in  the  work  of  the  world's  evan- 
gelization and  the  redemption  of  our  country  from  the  sin  and  curse  of 
slavery  as  any  body  that  is  recognized  by  our  Congregational  churches. 
All  I  wish,  sir,  is  that  this  society  be  let  alone. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois.  Let  them  confess  their  penitence. 
[Great  applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Budixgton.  Very  well,  sir.  I  have  heard  that  the  dif- 
ference between  the  societies  comes  at  last  to  this  :  we  acknowledge 
that,  at  present,  as  those  societies  are  working,  they  are  working  for 
our  Lord  and  Master,  and  there  is  no  difference  in  spirit  or  action 
between  them  ;  but  we  require  of  the  old  society  that  they  humble 
themselves  before  us  in  a  confession  of  the  wrong  they  have  done. 
Now,  Mr.  Chairman,  I  do  not  feel  that  this  Council,  or  any  other  of  the 
representatives  of  Christ's  church,  is  called  upon  to  ask  any  such  act  as 
that.  Does  the  fact  that  they  are  not  willing  to  go  back  over  the  heated 
and  angry  disputes  of  that  period,  and  renew  the  flames  of  that  spent 
controversy,  constitute  any  reason  why  we  should  censure  thera  ? 

Sir,  I  will  say  again,  in  closing,  that  I  speak  the  more  freely  on  this 
subject,  inasmuch  as  my  sympatliies  were  with  my  honored  and  beloved 
friend.  Dr.  Thompson,  all  through  that  conti'oversy  ;  that  is,  I  felt  that 
the  society  should  adopt  those  principles  of  action,  the  non-adoption  of 
which  led  to  the  split.  But  when,  in  the  providence  of  God,  there  rises 
up  throughout  this  land  one  common  spirit  of  patriotism  and  Christian- 
ity, which,  like  the  great  flood  of  Noah,  submerges  every  division  line 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  I  am  mistaken  very  much  with  regard  to  the 
feelings  and  character  of  this  body,  if  now,  when  we  want  a  union 
that  shall  be  a  imion  of  heart  and  of  hand  in  the  great  and  more  difficult 
work  of  reconstruction,  we  are  again  to  renew  the  heart-burnings,  and 
alienations  and  divisions  of  that  period,  which  seems  now  to  be  indeed 
like  the  period  before  the  flood.  If  it  is  the  intention  to  strike  out  all 
reference  to  both  Tract  Societies,  so  that  this  Council  can,  neither  really 
nor  constructively,  l)e  understood  as  passing  a  censure  upon  either  one 
or  the  other,  I  heartily  endorse  it. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York.  I  do  not  intend  to  debate  the 
question  for  one  moment,  but  simply  to  explain,  in  reply  to  my  friend, 
Dr.  Bndington's,  inquiry. 

This  Council  has  not  yet  determined  what  shall  be  the  final  disjiosi- 
tion  of  the  several  documents  presented  to  it  by  the  preliminary  com- 
mittees. If  those  documents  are  ordered  to  be  published,  they  do  not 
commit  the  Council  to  any  of  their  statements  or  sentiments,  beyond  the 
action  of  the  Council  in  its  own  reports  or  resolves  thereupon  adopted. 
For  example:  if  the  Council  shall  see  fit  to  print,  in  an  appendix,  the  Dec- 


THE   TRACT   SOaETIES.  417 

laration  of  Faith  that  I  had  the  honor  to  Bubmit,  nobody  can  present 
that  as  the  Declaration  of  this  OounciL  It  goes  for  just  what  it  is  worth, 
nothing  more,  with  the  names  of  the  committee  subscribed  to  it.  So 
with  each  and  every  one  of  those  reports.  The  intent  of  my  motion  is 
to  strike  out  all  reference  to  the  Tract  Societies,  and  just  leave  it  an 
open  question.  The  report  as  it  stands  eiq)resse8  too  much  confidence  in 
one  of  those  societies. 

Hev.  Mr.  Wellman,  of  Massachusetts.  I  hope  this  motion  will  not 
prevail.  ,If  I  understand  it,  the  committee  have  recommended  to  the 
Council  that  these  two  Tract  Societies  be  commended  to  our  churches. 
The  motion  now  is  to  erase  this  recommendation,  which  would  place 
both  these  societies  upon  the  same  levek  Whatever  of  odium,  therefore, 
there  is  in  the  motion  comes  upon  both  societies  alike.  For  one,  I  make 
a  distinction  between  these  two  societies.  My  personal  wish  is,  that  we 
should  commend  the  Boston  Tract  Society  to  the  churches.  I  am  not 
willing  to  commend  the  New  York  Tract  Society  to  the  churches. 
[Applause.]  I  do  not  believe,  as  the  brother  who  has  spoken  does  (Dr. 
Budington),  that  the  New  York  Tract  Society  is  yet  worthy  of  the  con- 
fidence of  the  churches  of  our  denomination.  [Voices  —  "No."]  I 
took  pains,  at  the  time  of  conflict  to  which  reference  has  been  made,  to 
go  to  New  York  to  be  at  that  meeting;  and,  having  witnessed  the  action 
of  the  New  York  Tract  Society  at  that  time,  I  have  not  seen  any  action 
on  their  part  since  that  seemed  to  me  to  make  them  worthy  of  the  com- 
mendation of  this  Council;  and  I  do  hope  that  we  shall  not,  at  the  end 
of  this  conflict,  say  that  the  Boston  Tract  Society,  which  has  been  true 
from  the  beginning  to  liberty  and  humanity,  shall  be  placed  on  the  same 
level  with  the  New  York  Tract  Society.  [Applause.]  For  one,  my 
wish  would  be  that  we  should  make  a  discrimination;  that  we  should 
erase  from  the  report  the  New  York  Tract  Society,  but  not  the  Boston 
Tract  Society. 

Hev.  Mr.  Savage,  of  Illinois.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  simple  ques- 
tion is  this:  Are  we  willing  to  sustain  those  who,  at  the  cost  of  large 
sacrifices  to  themselves,  took  a  stand,  previous  to  the  war,  in  favor  of 
truth  and  righteousness;  or  shall  we  take  a  stand  for  those  who  delayed 
their  action  until  they  were  compelled  to  it  ?  [Applause,  and  cries  of 
"  Hear,  hear."]  Our  churches  at  the  West  feel  strongly  on  this  matter; 
and  I  believe  that  every  Congregational  association  in  the  Western 
States  has  passed  resolutions  indorsing  fully  the  American  Tract  Society 
of  Boston,  upon  the  ground  that  it  is  worthy  to  be  sustained  by  Con- 
gregational churches,  both  for  the  principles  avowed  and  sustained,  and 
for  the  great  work  which  it  is  doing;  and  I  am  sure  that  we  should  do  a 
great  wrong  if  we  should  say,  that  all  this  in  the  past  is  to  be  entirely 
obliterated,  and  go  before  our  churches  throwing  the  influence  of  this 
great  Council  against  the  society  that  has,  as  I  have  said,  in  the  face  of 
opposition,  and  when  it  cost  largely  of  self-denial  and  of  self-sacrifice, 
taken  its  stand  on  the  side  of  right  and  truth. 

Rev.  Dr.  Stearns,  of  Massachusetts.    I  wish  to  explain.    I  believe 

27 


418  THE   TRACT   SOCIETIES. 

none  of  the  committee  had  any  strong  feeling  on  this  subject ;  I  do  not  know 
that  any  of  them  were  in  any  sense  partisans  of  the  New  York  Sode^; 
but  a  paper  was  put  into  their  hands,  on  which  they  were  called  upon 
to  report  On  examining  that  paper,  they  found  these  words:  "The 
American  Tract  Society  at  Boston  is  worthy  of  the  confidence  of  our 
churches  for  many  reasons,  and  should  be  specially  commended  for  the 
manner  in  which  its  business  affairs  are  managed,  and  for  restricting  its 
operations  to  its  own  appropriate  sphere."  Now,  it  may  be  true,  or  it 
may  be  false,  that  it  should  be  commended  for  such  things ;  but  there  is 
a  strong  and  sharp  intimation  that  the  other  society  does  not  conduct  its 
business  operations  in  a  manner  worthy  of  the  confidence  of  this  body; 
and,  moreover,  that  it  does  not  confine  its  operations  to  its  own  appro- 
priate sphere.  Whether  they  do  or  not,  I  do  not  know;  I  am  not  called 
upon  to  judge.  It  seemed  to  the  committee,  that  if  this  paragraph  was  to 
remain  untouched,  unnoticed  in  any  way,  we  should  arraign  the  society 
and  condemn  it  without  a  trial.  If  this  were  a  proper  CouncU,  and 
proper  witnesses  could  be  summoned,  and  it  could  be  ascertained  that 
the  society  at  New  York  does  not  conduct  its  business  operations 
properly,  and,  moreover,  that  it  does  not  confine  its  operations  to  its 
appropriate  sphere,  and  if,  after  a  fiiU  and  fair  investigation,  that  should 
be  the  opinion  of  this  Council,  and  this  body  was  the  proper  body  to 
take  action  upon  it,  then  I  say,  it  would  be  all  right  But  to  have  these 
statements  come  in  here  and  receive  the  sanction  of  this  body,  without 
their  knowing  anything  about  it,  did  not  seem  to  the  committee  to  be 
right,  and  therefore  they  presented  their  report  as  it  is,  saying  that  these 
bodies  have  the  sanction  of  this  Council,  without  specifying  the  pecu- 
liarities of  either  of  them ;  not  denouncing  either  of  them;  but  proposing 
that  what  is  in  the  original  report  censuring  one  of  the  societies 
should  be  stricken  out;  and  we  did  that  partly  to  meet  the  views  of  the 
friends  of  the  Boston  Society.  One  gentleman,  a  friend  of  that  society, 
came  and  said,  "  If  that  paragraph  goes  in,  I  shall  turn  my  contributions 
to  the  other  society,  for  it  is  an  act  of  impropriety  and  injustice." 

Now,  in  view  of  this  explanation,  if  the  Council  decide  to  leave  that 
paragraph  in,  so  be  it 

Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  diflSculty  can 
be  very  easily  obviated.  If  the  two  societies  are  to  be  commended  to 
the  confidence  of  the  Christian  public,  it  might  be  expressed  in  a  few 
words,  and  then  special  confidence  expressed  in  the  Boston  Society,  in 
view  of  its  fidelity  in  the  hour  of  trial.  I  think  some  little  testimony 
like  this  should  be  paid  to  the  Boston  Society  for  its  faithfulness  to  its 
principles.  This  is  due  to  it,  due  to  us,  and  due  to  all  the  interests  at 
stake  in  this  matter. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut  Confidence  in  the  New  York 
Society  is  what  I  can  not  exj^ress.  "  Confidence  is  a  plant  of  slow 
growth."  That  society  forfeited  our  confidence  at  one  time — at  any  rate 
it  did  mine,  and  my  confidence  has  not  yet  grown  so  that  I  can  express 
it    Dr.  Budington  is  more  generous  in  his  nature,  and  his  confidence 


THE  TRACT   SOaSTIES.  419 

has  grown  very  rapidly.  But  I  choose  to  exercise  more  caution  than 
is  involved  in  his  position.  If  we  are  going  to  express  confidence  in 
either  of  these  societies,  for  myself,  it  most,  be  expressed  only  in  the 
Boston  Society. 

Mr.  Wellman  moved  to  amend  the  motion  of  Dr.  Thompson, 
so  that  the  name  of  the  New  York  Society  should  be  erased, 
instead  of  both  societies,  and  Dr.  Thompson  accepted  the 
amendment. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  asked  that  the  sentence  might  be 
read,  and  the  chairman  of  the  conmiittee,  Rev.  Dr.  Steams, 
read  it. 

The  Moderator.  The  name,  "  American  Tract  Society  "  does  not 
appear.    The  amendment  is  really  not  applicable. 

Rev.  Dr.  Button,  of  Connecticut.  I  move  to  amend  by  striking  out 
the  whole  paragraph. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts.  I  want  to  know  if  that  strikes  out 
the  Boston  Society  ? 

Rev.  Dr.  Stearns.  It  leaves  the  report  of  the  original  committee, 
recommending  the  Boston  Society,  "  for  the  manner  in  which  its  business 
affairs  are  managed,  and  for  restricting  its  operations  to  its  own  appro- 
priate sphere." 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York,  moved  to  amend  by  sub- 
stituting, for  the  paragraph  referred  to,  the  following : 

"  That  the  object  which  the  American  Tract  Society,  originally  found- 
ed in  Boston,  has  in  view,  in  the  manufacture  and  distribution  of  reli- 
gious books  and  tracts,  in  settlements  supposed  to  be  destitute  of  them, 
is  considered  by  this  Council  of  great  importance,  and  is  cordially  com- 
mended to  the  churches." 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  I  did  not  intend  to  say  a  word  on 
this  matter,  but  the  course  of  discussion  constrains  me  just  to  throw  out 
a  suggestion  or  two.  Is  the  American  Tract  Society,  in  the  first  place, 
a  missionary  society  ?  Is  it  not  formed  on  the  catholic  basis  of  issuing 
nothing  but  what  the  Publishing  Committee,  composed  of  four  or  ^ve 
different  denominations,  unanimously  concur  in  ?  Is  it,  therefore,  con- 
gruous for  a  society,  formed  on  that  catholic  basis,  to  employ  missiona- 
ries to  go  abroad  and  preach  the  gospel  ?  That  is  the  first  question. 
And,  in  the  second  place,  is  it  worth  while  for  a  society  with  a  capital  of 
about  $750,000,  at  present  rates,  —  all  that  we  ask  for  in  this  great  year 
of  jubilee,  —  to  be  commended  to  our  churches  as  an  object  of  charity  ? 
[Loud  applause.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Bodwell,  of  Kansas.  I  would  ask  the  privilege  of  reading 
the  resolutions  which  the  General  Association  of  Kansas  passed  on  this 
subject: 


420  THB  TRACT  SOCIETIES. 

Beaohedy  That  ibis  Association  views  with  surprise  and  grief  the  con- 
duct of  the  American  Tract  Society,  of  New  York,  in  that  the  course 
they  once  declared  forbidden  by  their  constitution,  they  now  pursue,  with 
no  Christian  acknowledgment  of  the  wrong  they  then  did,  or  are  now 
doing,  to  the  feelings  of  "  Evangelical  Christians."  [Laughter  and  ap- 
plause.] 

Besolved,  That  in  once  suppressing  the  publication,  even  of  Bible  de- 
nunciations of  man-stealing  and  oppression,  and  in  rudely  preventing 
free  discussion  in  their  great  annual  gatherings,  we  do  hold  them  guilty 
of  encouraging  the  growth  and  insolence  of  that  power,  which,  by  sword 
and  starvation,  has  slain  scores  of  thousands  of  our  best  citizens;  has 
filled  the  land  with  widows  and  fatherless  children;  and  has  wasted  the 
treasures  of  the  nation  in  a  long  and  bloody  war.    [Applause.] 

Besolved,  That  we  ask  the  older  and  more  influential  associations  of 
our  order  to  join  us  in  calling  upon  this  society  for  such  an  expression 
of  penitence,  for  the  wrongs  done  the  country  and  the  cause  of  Christ,  as 
shall  warrant  a  restoration  of  that  confidence,  which,  by  upholding  the 
wrong,  it  has  justly  forfeited.    [Great  applause.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Hitrd,  of  Michigan.  I  wish  simply  to  bear  my  testimony 
on  this  matter.  The  New  York  Tract  Society  could  not  get  into  any 
one  of  our  one  hundred  and  forty  churches  in  Michigan,  xmless  they  stole 
their  way  in. 

A  Voice.    So  in  niinois. 

Another.    So  in  Iowa. 

Anotheb.    So  in  Wisconsin. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  I  hope  the  amendment  of  Dr.  Thomp- 
son will  pass.  For  one,  I  have  no  desire,  as  a  member  of  this  Council, 
to  utter  any  word  of  censure  or  reflection  on  the  American  Trac|  Society 
of  New  York.  That  society  missed  an  opportunity  which  God  in  his 
providence  seldom  sends  more  than  once  to  any  individual  T>r  to  any  or- 
ganization, in  my  judgment,  to  place  itself  in  a  position  in  which  it  could 
go  down  to  the  future  with  moral  power.  I  do  not  doubt  that  that  soci- 
^y  is  now,  and  has  been  for  the  past  tiiree  years,  doing  a  very  patriotic 
work;  but  I  have  a  lively  remembrance  of  the  experience  of  some  of  the 
beloved  brethren  of  this  body  who  attended  its  public  meetings  with  all 
the  rights  and  responsibilities  of  members,  who  had  to  fight  their  way 
through  amid  interruptions  and  despotic  decisions  so  numerous,  that  the 
man  who  was  anciently  condemned  to  walk  blindfold  among  burning 
ploughshares  had  an  easy  time  compared  with  them.  [Laughter  and  ap- 
plause.] But,  sir,  I  leave  that  society  to  God,  and  to  the  providence  of 
God;  I  have  no  vindictive  feelings  in  regard  to  it;  but  I  do  feel  that  we 
ought  to  commend  that  society  which,  like  the  seraph  Abdiel,  was  '^faith- 
ful among  the  faithless  found."    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Blodgett,  of  Rhode  Island.  I  have  not  opened  my  mouth 
in  the  Council  I  prayed,  before  I  left  home,  that  I  might  not  do  any 
harm  here,  and  I  have  found  grace,  so  far,  to  keep  silent;  but  I  do  feel 
constrained  to  say,  now,  that  with  whatever  protestations  of  friendship 


THS  TRACT  BOCIETISei  421 

brethren  may  come,  with  the  proposed  action,  the  result  of  that  action  will 
be  to  reflect  dishonor  upon  the  New  York  Society,  and  draw  an  invidious 
distinction  between  the  two  societies,  which,  it  seems  to  me,  if  I  may  be 
allowed  to  say  it,  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  times,  and 
with  the  spirit  of  the  discussions  in  which  this  Council  has  been  engaged. 
Neither  does  it  look  with  an  aspect  of  favor  to  the  great  work  of  home 
evangelization,  which  we  are  called  upon  as  a  Council  to  undertake,  to 
begin  this  new  dispensation  by  placing  a  brand  upon  one  of  the  great 
instrumentalities  of  evangelization  which  God  has  thus  blessed;  and  I 
am  sure  that,  when  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  a  rebel  of  the  last  four 
years,  except  Jefferson  Davis,  —  and  a  little  doubtful  whether  he  proves 
an  exception,  —  will  be  hung,  it  is  no  time  for  this  Council  to  go,  as  it 
were,  for  hanging  the  American  Tract  Society.  It  seems  to  me  that, 
when  the  whole  spirit  of  the  times,  coming  out  of  such  a  terrible  conflict 
as  we  are  now,  is  that  of  large  forbearance,  we  should  look  with  leniency, 
HO  far  forth  as  we  can  in  conscience,  upon  the  shortcomings  of  any  of  our 
associations  in  times  that  are  past  It  is  no  time  to  stand  on  points  of 
ceremony  and  of  difference  of  measures,  such  as  formerly  existed  be- 
tween these  two  great  associations  that  have,  under  the  force  of  event» 
that  are  stronger  than  men,  been  brought  to  march  side  by  side  in  tlie 
great  work  of  seeking  the  salvation  of  souls  throughout  this  land.  It  ia 
no  time  in  this  Council  to  interpose  and  say,  "  We  can  not,  by  implica- 
tion even,  approve  the  course  of  the  American  Tract  Society  of  New 
York;^'  and  we  do  say  this  if  we  adopt  the  iine  of  action  that  is  contem- 
plated. If  I  understand  it,  I  should  be  very,  very  sorry  to  have  anything 
go  out  from  this  Council  of  that  character. 

Bev.  Mr.  Bradsha w,  of  New  York.  I  wish  to  iiKjuire  to-  whoQi  the 
American  Tract  Society  belongs  ? 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington,  of  New  York.  It  is  a  catholic  society,  as  Dr. 
Bacon  says.  I  am  under  the  necessity,  very  much  to  my  grief,  indeed,  of 
leaving  this  house  in  a  few  moments,  and  if  any  brother  thinks  I  am  ob- 
truding, I  throw  myself  upon  his  mercy,  while  I  say  a  few  words. 

I  came  up  to  this  assembly  with  some  fears  and  many  hopes,  and  my 
fears  have  all  disappeared,  and  my  hopes  have  risen  into  one  jubilant 
thanksgiving  to  Almighty  Grod.  That  independent  m^  having  among 
them  different  sympathies  and  lines  of  action,  should  come  up  here,  and, 
respecting  one  another's  feelings,  tastes,  preferences,  prejudices,  locality, 
and  everything  of  that  kind,  still  meet  in  the  spirit  of  one  catholic  Chris- 
tianity, prepared  to  unite  in  an  aggressive  movement  upon  all  the  forms'^ 
of  atheism  in  this  country  and  the  world,  seemed  to  me  the  culmination 
of  the  grand  principles  of  Congregationalism.  Let  me  appeal  to  the 
Council  through  you,  Mr.  Moderator,  not  to  dissolve  the  charm  of  that 
union  which  I  believe  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  Spirit  of  Grod  in  the  hearts 
of  these  brethren,  iept  alive  and  glowing  there  by  that  half  hour  of 
prayer  every  forenoon.  Do  not,  I  beseech  you,  in  a  moment  of  angry 
haste,  stab  the  reputation  for  Christianity,  and  for  patriotism,  of  men 


422  THE  TRACT   SOCIETIES. 

who  love  their  conn  try  as  much  as  any  other  men — men  who  ha?e 
given  — 

A  Member.    I  protest  against  the  words,  "  angry  haste.^ 

Rev.  Dr.  Budington.  I  will  take  them  back  ;  I  anoi  sorry  I  nsed 
them.  I  did  not  mean  to  say  any  word  which  any  brother  could  miscon- 
strue. I  respect,  sir,  with  all  my  heart,  that  steadfast  loyalty  to  principle 
that  animated  my  lyethren  of  New  England  throughout  that  contro- 
versy ;  but  I  do  desire,  for  the  cause  of  our  common  coimtry  and  our 
Union  hereafter,  that  we  may  not  rake  up  that  old  controversy.  These 
resolutions  from  Kansas  arraign  our  brethren  in  New  Tork  as  having 
done  an  unchristian  thing  ;  so  unchristian  that,  in  order  to  the  restora- 
tion of  confidence,  they  should  come  forward  and  confess  it.  [  Voices.  — 
"  True," — "  true."]  I  have  only  a  word  or  two  to  say.  My  grand  desire 
is  the  unity  of  our  churches  in  a  life-long  work  for  the  conservation  ot 
the  interests  of  this  country  ;  and  I  ask  you,  in  God's  name  and  in  the 
pame  of  our  Redeemer,  not  to  divide  brethren  who  love  the  same  cause, 
and  who  are  pursuing  the  same  cause  by  the  same  methods,  simply  be- 
cause, in  times  past,  they  differed,  and  as  brethren  differing  do,  said  hard 
things  about  one  another. 

I  do  wish  to  say,  brethren,  that  those  gentlemen,  who  have  been 
arraigned  here  on  this  platform,  were  many  of  them,  I  know,  as  anxious 
to  do  what  was  desired  in  the  matter  of  publication  as  any  gentlemen 
in  Boston  were,  but  they  felt  themselves  bound  by  that  constitution  of 
catholicity  which  I  understand  Dr.  Bacon  to  comment  upon,  —  and  in  his 
comments  I  cordially  agree.  I  think  it  is  not  tlie  organization  for  us  ; 
and  I  agree  cordially  in  that  report,  which  seems  to  have  been  forgotten 
by  some  of  us,  which  has  reviewed  the  whole  underlying  policy  of  both 
these  Tract  Societies.  I  beg  you,  brethren,  do  not  arraign  men  because- 
they  felt  themselves  bound  by  the  constitution  under  which  they  were 
acting,  and,  under  that  constitution,  felt  themselves  unable  to  publish 
anything  which  any  section  of  any  evangelical  church,  co-operating  in 
that  united  society,  objected  to.  Do  not  arraign  gentlemen  who  felt 
themselves  bound  in  honpr  and  in  conscience  to  the  course  which  they 
pursued. 

Brethren,  we  had  Dr.  Yaughan  here  before  us;  we  had  brother  Beecher 
a  short  time  afterwards,  endorsing  what  Dr.  Vaughan  said  in  regard  to 
the  position  of  England  toward  our  country;  although  in  the  first  instance 
he  could  not  understand  it;  but  having  cooled  himself  among  the  glaciers 
of  Switzerland,  and  come  round  through  phlegmatic  Germany,  he  did 
understand  the  feelings  of  those  brethren  who,  sympathizing,  as  Dr. 
Vaughan  tells  us,  with  this  country,  thought  the  constitution  of  the 
"  Union  "  forbade  them  to  introduce  the  vexed  question  of  the  American 
war,  and  realized  that  it  was  only  as  a  matter  of  self-preservation,  and 
not  as  casting  any  censure  upon  us,  that  they  pursued  the  course  they 
did.  "Will  you  have  charity  for  a  "  Union  "  over  the  water,  and  refuse  it 
to  a  "  Union  "  among  your  own  brethren,  engaged  in  doing  the  same 
work  with  you  ?     I  beseech  you,  brethren,  for  the  sake  of  harmony  and 


THE  TRACT    SOCIETIES.  423 

efficiency  in  our  efforts  for  the  consummation  of  the  work  to  which  we 
are  now  giving  ourselves,  do  not,  directly  or  indirectly,  arraign  the  char- 
acter for  patriotism  of  your  brethren  in  New  York. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bbadshaw,  of  Kew  York.  I  inquired  to  whom  the  N.  Y. 
Tract  Society  belongs.  Does  it  not  belong  to  us  as  much  as  to  any  other 
people  in  this  land  ?  We  argue  that  we  are  so  zealous  to  have  a  force 
to  go  into  the  West  and  South  that  we  are  ready  to  recommend  the 
licensing,  and  perhaps  ordaining,  of  men  uneducated.  Now,  the  Ameri- 
can Tract  Society  have  done  things  that  we  did  not  approve  ;  but  are  we 
going  to  rake  up  that?  That  society  is  a  power,  a  great  power, — 
$750,000,  Dr.  Bacon  just  told  us.  Now,  why  should  we  alienate  that 
society  ?  Why  should  we  throw  ourselves  into  an  attitude  so  that  we 
cannot  appropriate  that  to  the  great  work  we  have  in  hand,  after  a 
little,  if  not  now  ?  One  half  of  these  brethren  are  members  of  that  so- 
ciety. In  the  name  of  common  sense,  of  good  policy,  and  of  our  Saviour, 
for  whom  we  labor,  let  us  not  repudiate  that  society. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  I  want  to  say  a  word  or  two,  in  the 
hope  that  this  question  will  be  disposed  of  immediately  and  kindly. 
There  is  a  brother  [Dr.  Dutton]  whom  I  love  as  I  do  my  own  soul.  He 
has  a  very  forgiving  spirit,  and  so  have  I.  He  has  forgiven  Gen.  But- 
ler, and  yet  I  have  never  heard  that  Gen.  Butler  made  a  confession 
of  his  sin.  He  was  as  big  a  sinner,  before  Fort  Sumter,  as  the  American 
Tract  Society,  and  has  never  said  to  this  day  that  he  has  repented. 
We  have  forgiven  ever  so  many  men  who  never  made  any  confession, 
and  I  am  willing  to  forgive  these  men— every  mother's  son  of  them. 
[Laughter.]  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  forgive  them,  and  hope  I  shall 
remember  nothing  against  tiiem  of  what  happened  ^^  before  the  flood,''  as 
the  brother  said.  I  want  to  dispose  of  this  matter  in  such  a  way  as 
shall  leave  no  scar  and  no  unkind  feeling  anywhere,  either  in  the  mind 
of  brother  Budington,  or  Dr.  Kirk,  or  any  of  us.  Can  we  not  say  that 
the  object  of  doing  good  by  the  distribution  of  books  and  tracts  is  com- 
mended to  our  churches  ?  That  I  am  ready  to  say.  I  do  not  permit 
the  representative  of  brother  Kirk's  society,  nor  of  any  Tract  Society, 
to  stand  in  my  pulpit,  and  ask  money  for  a  manufacturing  and  trading 
corporation. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  of  Massachusetts.    We  don't  ask  it 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  No,  you  don't  ask  it  But  your  rep- 
resentative goes  round  among  my  people,  —  and  I  am  glad  to  have  him,  — 
and  solicits  money  for  an  increase  of  the  capital,  or  for  the  charitable  oper- 
ations of  your  society  ;  and  the  other  man  comes,  whether  I  am  glad  or 
not  [Laughter];  he  knows  the  beat;  he  got  the  track  long  ago;  but  some- 
times he  has  complained,  of  late  years,  that  he  has  got  more  kicks  than 
coppers;  and  I  am  sorry  for  the  kicks  he  gets,  and  a  little  sorry  for  the 
coppers  [Laughter  and  applause];  because  my  judgment — my  private 
and  personal  judgment  —  does  not  go  along  with  the  scheme  of  doing 
good  which  is  prosecuted  especially  by  that  society.  The  publication  of 
books,  whether  by  the  Carters  or  by  this  excellent  Publication  Society 


i 


424  THIS  TRACT  80CIETIX8. 

here  in  Boston,  is  a  good  thing;  and  the  giving  away  of  books  is  a  good 
thing;  and  I  have  a  contribution  taken  in  my  church  every  year  to  biij 
books  for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  away,  and  we  buy  them  of  this  so- 
ciety, but  not  exclusively;  and  what  we  can  not  give  away  in  our  own 
parish,  and  to  the  Germans  and  others  in  New  Haven,  we  put  into  the 
Home  Missionary  barrels,  and  send  them  to  the  home  missionaries  to 
give  away;  and  we  put  in  these  books  of  the  American  Tract  Sodety, 
and  all  sorts  of  societies,  taking  a  little  pains  to  see  that  the  books  an 
worth  the  freight  [Laughter.]  Now,  let  us  get  rid  of  this  difficulty, 
and  say  nothing  of  either  of  these  societies,  but  merely  say,  that  the  ob- 
ject of  doing  good  by  the  distribution  of  books  and  tracts  is  commende4 
to  the  churches. 

Rev.  Dr.  Steabns,  of  Massachusetts.  I  will  not  object  to  the  amend- 
ment, provided  the  passage  in  the  original  report  is  stricken  out,  and 
provided  these  words  shall  be  put  in:  ^^  without  passing  judgment  on 
other  organizations." 

The  amendment  was  accepted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee.  There  are  some  here  who  know  my 
interest  in  the  Boston  Society.  I  attended  the  three  days'  session  at  New 
York,  and  when  at  last  it  was  concluded  to  draw  of^  I  may  be  pardoned 
if  I  state  that  I  made  the  first  motion  to  that  end.  Three  amendments 
were  offered,  which  I  moved  to  lay  on  the  table,  which  brought  the  mat- 
ter to  an  issue.  I  am  just  as  cordial  a  friend  of  the  Boston  Society  as 
any  man  can  be;  but  while  thus  friendly  to  that  society,  I  should  dislike 
to  introduce  anything  like  a  firebrand  to  divide  and  alienate  the  brethren 
of  this  body.  Sir,  there  is  no  call  for  it,  no  demand  for  it^  whatever. 
We  have  a  large  interest  in  the  New  York  Tract  Society.  We  have  not 
come  up  here  as  a  Council  to  call  upon  that  society  to  make  confession 
and  pay  obeisance  to  us.  That  is  not  our  province.  It  is  a  matter  of 
small  moment,  in  view  of  the  grandeur  of  the  work  before  us,  whether 
they  shall  in  so  many  words  confess  their  sins,  or  whether  they  shall, 
^  forgetting  the  things  that  are  behind,  press  forward  to  the  things  that 
are  before."  That  is  the  great  question  before  us  ;  and  while  that  is  so 
I  would  not  throw  a  straw  in  the  way  of  that  society  ;  I  would  not  do  a 
thing  in  this  Council  to  alienate  one  brother.  There  is  no  need  of  it ; 
there  is  no  call  for  it  All  I  would  say,  would  be  simply  to  commend  both 
these  organizations  in  common,  for  they  are  both  doing  a  great  and  blessed 
work  in  our  day.  Only  look  over  the  literature  of  that  New  York  Tract 
Society.  What  a  treasure  of  religious  truth, — what  a  treasure  of  the 
richest  gospel  and  Christian  experience  is  to  be  found  in  their  publica- 
tions! Why  need  we  do  anything  here  that  shall  seem  to  cut  us  off  or 
alienate  us  one  moment  from  that  society  ?  There  is  no  need  of  it  We 
have  a  large  interest  in  that  organization,  and  now  that  they  have  right- 
^  themselves,  let  us  do  nothing  that  shall  cut  us  off  from  that  society  or 
prevent  our  drinking  largely  from  their  fountains  of  love  and  Christian 


THB  TRACT   SOCIETIES.  425 

truth  and  experience.  No  man  could  grieve  more  deeply  than  I  did  over 
the  terrible  fault,  mistake,  or  error  (the  sin,  I  call  it,  for  it  seemed  to  me 
a  dreadful  sin),  of  that  society  in  neglecting  and  persistently  refusing  to 
testify  on  the  great  question  of  American  freedom.  Those  were  my  feel- 
ings then;  but  they  have  at  length  ^^  righted  themselves,"  as  we  express 
it  at  the  South ;  and  now,  doing  God^s  work  as  they  are,  let  us  not  alien- 
ate or  divide  brethren  on  this  question.  But  it  seems  to  me,  that  while 
commending  that  society,  a  reference  ought  to  be  made  to  the  faithful- 
ness of  the  Boston  Society  in  the  hour  of  emergency,  when  it  still  stood 
forth  and  testified  for  the  great  principles  of  freedom  and  righteousness 
in  the  land.  It  seems  to  me  that  this  would  be  wise,  kind,  forgiving,  and 
loving. 

Rev.  E.  P.  Mabyin,  of  Massachusetts,  I  will  not  detain  you  long;  and 
having  voted  with  the  Boston  Society  throughout  all  that  time  of  division, 
I  am  sure  I  shall  not  be  misunderstood  in  the  remarks  I  am  about  to  make. 
I  am  feeling  exceedingly  anxious  in  the  line  of  thought  that  Dr.  Bacon 
suggested.  Does  this  Council  wish  to  throw  8750,000,  with  all  the  New 
York  Tract  Society  can  raise  in  Now  York  and  throughout  the  country^ 
into  the  hands  of  the  Presbyterians  ?  Do  we  want  to  make  the  same 
mistake  which  they  have  made,  —  a  sad  one  for  them,  too, — in  regard 
to  the  Home  Missionary  Society  ?  Men  who  do  not  forgive,  who  are  not 
kind  and  cordial,  when  everybody  must  be  forgiving,  are  very  sure  to 
make  mistakes;  and  while  I  believe  that  the  Tract  Society  in  Boston 
ought  to  be  commended,  I  do  not  wish  to  say  a  single  word  in  this  Coun- 
cil which  shall  alienate  that  society.  If  you  do,  you  will  find  rich  men 
and  rich  societies  and  ministers  and  men  of  influence  throughout  New 
England, — a  great  many  of  them, — who  will  give  their  money  to  that 
society,  and  it  will  go  against  the  interests  of  the  Congregational  denom* 
ination.  Here  is  an  argument  which,  to  my  mind,  is  perfectly  conclu- 
sive. Do  not  alienate  that  powerful  society,  which  will  command  money 
by  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  in  New  England,  in  spite  of  any  ac- 
tion which  you  can  take  here  to-day.  Let  us  have  what  commendation 
you  choose  for  the  Boston  Society  —  though  I  do  not  think  it  needs  it, 
where  there  have  been  so  many  local  commendations;  but  X  beg  you  not 
to  say  anything  that  shall  be  construed  into  opposition  to  that  great  so- 
ciety, and  especially  into  opposition  to  it  on  the  ground  of  the  manage- 
ment of  its  business  afiairs.  If  we  are  to  say  anything  on  that  subject, 
even  by  implication,  we  ought  to  call  upon  some  of  our  shrewd  business 
men  to  decide  that  question,  for  there  is  a  dispute  about  it.  I  understand 
that  some  of  our  own  friends  do  not  wish  that  we  should  put  that  to  the 
test,  because  good  men  differ  in  regard  to  it  I  have  been  somewhat  be- 
hind the  scenes,  and  I  know  that  the  question  has  been  submitted  to  a 
committee  of  business  men  in  New  York,  and  I  know  a  proposition  was 
once  made  here  in  Boston  to  submit  it  to  business  men  here;  and  while 
I  would  not  wish  to  intimate  at  all  what  the  decision  would  be,  I  beg  of 
you  not  by  implication  to  censure  that  society. 

Rev.  Mr.  Mills,  of  Michigan.    If  we  had  any  special  responsibility 


426  THE  TRACT   SOaETIES. 

88  pertaining  to  this  matter,  I  should  favor  a  thorough,  sharp  discussion 
of  the  question,  and  some  thorough,  sharp  decision;  but  we  represent 
independent  bodies  of  Christians  all  over  this  land,  who  are  able  to  form 
their  own  judgments,  and  have,  for  the  most  part,  formed  them.  We 
have  no  special  responsibility  with  reference  to  the  manner  in  which 
they  shall  give  to  this  object  If  there  was  a  necessity  for  making  a 
sharp  declaration,  I  should  be  willing  to  make  one.  I  have  my  own 
judgment,  my  church  has  its  own  judgment,  and  I  presume  it  is  a  good 
one;  and  it  is  clear  that  the  great  mass  of  the  churches  represented  here 
have  their  own  judgment 

Kow,  sir,  I  am  exceedingly  anxious  that  nothing  shall  be  said  which 
shall  be  felt  as  a  hardship  by  any  single  member  of  this  Council.  We 
are  independent  men,  we  are  independent  churches,  and  we  have  no 
right  in  a  matter  where  we  are  not  called  upon  to  act,  to  be  a  hardship 
to  any  one.  Inasmuch  as  we'  gain  nothing  by  a  positive  utterance, 
I  am  in  favor  of  the  manner  in  which  the  thing  was  put  by  Dr. 
Bacon,  —  and  I  wish  he  had  presented  it  as  an  amendment,  —  that  tiie 
caitse  of  the  societies  be  commended  to  the  churches,  leaving  it  to  the 
churches  themselves  to  judge  between  them.  Why  do  we  need  to  get 
into  heat  and  embarrassment  by  discussing  this  question,  and  by  sharp 
divisions  on  this  matter  ? 

Rev.  Dr.  Barstow,  of  New  Hampshire.  I  wish  this  report  might  be 
recommitted  to  the  committee.  We  are  doing  infinite  mischief  by  this 
discussion. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  I  think  the  house  could  be  har- 
monized by  introducing  an  amendment  to  this  effect:  after  passing 
what  has  been  suggested,  adding,  "  without  judging  any  other  society, 
but  bidding  God-speed  to  every  society  having  the  same  object  as  our 
own." 

Rev.  Dr.  Ejrk,  of  Massachusetts.  I  beg  the  privilege  of  saying  a 
word.  ^  I  think  that,  just  as  Satan,  when  he  saw  Adam  and  Eve  in  Para- 
dise, happy,  contrived  some  way  to  get  in  there  and  tempt  them  to  eat 
the  apple,  so  he  has  done  here.  It  is  ten  thousand  pities  that  we  ever 
got  on  this  track;  and  I  must  say,  that  Dr.  Budington  did  it 

Now,  let  me  say,  as  an  official  of  the  Boston  Tract  Society,  that  all  we 
wish  is,  that  you  shall  not  put  us  out  as  if  we  were  not  one  of  your 
societies.  Only  refrain  from  that,  and  we  shall  be  satisfied.  We  are  not 
a  court  of  justice,  and  are  not  trying  the  brethren  of  the  New  York 
Society;  and  I  pray  God  and  my  brethren  that  we  shall  end  this  after- 
noon as  we  ended  this  morning,  in  the  spirit  in  which  we  shall  go  to 
heaven. 

A  motion  was  made,  that  the  report  be  recommitted  to  the 
committee,  and  carried. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  frpm  the  committee  on  Nominations, 
reported  the  following  names  as  the 


BEPORT   ON   CHURCH   POLITY.  427 


COMMITTEE    ON    PUBLIC    AND    PRIVATE    WORSHIP. 

Rev.  Abijah  P.  Marvrn,  Rev.  Nathaniel  H.  iEfggleston,  of  Massachu- 
setts; Rev.  Jonathan  L.  Jenkins,  Revt.  Orpheus  T.  Lanphear,  of  Connecti- 
cut; Rev.  Joshua  Leavitt,  d.  d.,  of  New  York. 

The  report  was  accepted. 

A  recess  of  five  minutes  was  taken,  after  which,  Rev.  John 
P.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut,  read  the  following  as  the  report  of 
the  committee  on  Church  Polity:  — 

REPORT    ON    CHURCH    POLITY. 

The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  "  the  statement  of  Congrega- 
tional Polity  "  respectfully  report. 

Your  committee  found  it  necessary,  in  the  opening  of  their  considera- 
tion of  the  subject  referred  to  them,  to  fix  definitely  in  their  own  minds 
the  precise  limits  of  the  functions  of  a  Council  like  this  in  issuing  a  state- 
ment of  Church  polity.    These  limits  are  defined, — 

1.  By  what  we  have  a  right  to  do. 

2.  By  what  we  have  time  to  do. 

3.  By  what  it  is  expedient  for  us  to  do. 

In  respect  to  the  first  question  the  answer  is  plain.  We  have  a  right 
to  issue  as  complete  and  comprehensive  a  statement  as  we  are  able  to 
secure,  for  the  consideration  of  the  churches  whose  representatives  we 
are,  so  long  as,  in  the  language  of  Richard  Mather,  we  claim  no  more 
authority  for  such  statement  "  than  there  is  force  in  the  reason  of  it." 

In  respect  to  the  question  how  far  it  is  possible  for  a  body  of  five 
hundred  men,  in  the  time  at  our  command,  to  issue  a  perfected  state- 
ment concerning  a  subject  so  extensive,  and  embracing  such  variety  and 
number  of  details,  your  committee  were  soon  convinced  that  only  an 
approximation  could  possibly  be  made  to  that  precision  and  compre- 
hensiveness and  conciseness  which  must  characterize  such  a  docimient, 
if  it  shall  be  worthy  of  this  National  Council  or  generally  acceptable  to 
the  churches  we  represent  Your  committee,  therefore,  became  con- 
vinced, early  in  their  deliberations,  that  all  that  this  Council  could  possibly 
do,  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances,  would  be  to  give  a  general 
approval  to  the  documents  reported  to  it,  and  that  it  would  be  com- 
pelled at  last  to  commit  them  with  such  emendations  and  additions  as  it 
might  direct,  and  such  as  might  be  brought  out  by  open  discussions,  or 
private  suggestions  by  members  of  the  Council  to  a  committee,  for  filial 
revision  and  publication. 

And  in  these  necessities  of  our  position  we  found  an  answer  to  our 
third  question,  as  to  how  much  it  would  be  expedient  for  us  to  do  even  if  we 
should  have  at  command  all  the  time  we  could  desire.  On  this  point 
your  conunittee  have  been  led  to  the  conclusion,  that  inasmuch  as  the 


428  BEPOBT   ON   CHURCH   POUTT. 

action  of  this  Council  is  to  go  forth  over  large  portions  of  our  country, 
in  which  the  idea  of  church  authority  and  ecclesiastical  legislation  pre- 
vails, to  the  nearly  entiise  exclusion  of  the  conception  of  our  free  C<«- 
gregational  forms,  it  would  prevent  much  misconception  and  misrepre- 
sentation, if  such  a  document,  after  receiving  the  general  approval  of 
this  Council,  should  go  forth  to  the  world  with  the  Jiill  indorsement  only 
of  the  gentlemen  whose  names  shall  be  appended  thereto. 

In  this  manner  we  might  hope  to  find  a  middle  course  between  the  two 
extremes  of  too  great  authority  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  the  entire  absence 
of  authority  on  the  other.  We  might  hope,  in  other  words,  to  avoid  all 
appearance  of  legislation  for  the  churches,  while  at  the  same  time  we 
might  commend  to  the  churches  a  statement  of  polity  which  should  carry 
with  it  primd  fade  evidence  of  its  correctness:  first,  from  having 
received  the  general  approval  of  this  ^National  Council;  and,  secondly, 
from  the  minute  and  absolute  approval  of  a  large  committee  carefhlly 
selected  by  this  body,  who  shall  have  received  the  benefit  of  an  extended 
discussion  of  the  papers  now  under  examination,  for  months  to  come,  by 
the  whole  body  of  our  ministers  and  churches. 

Having  settled  in  their  own  minds  these  general  principles,  your  com- 
mittee applied  themselves  to  the  close  and  carefid  study  of  the  two 
papers  presented  to  them. 

They  found  the  longer  of  these  papers  to  be  an  able,  comprehensive, 
and,  in  their  view,  a  generally  correct  statement  of  the  principles  of  the 
Congregational  polity,  and  well  worthy  to  be  the  basis  of  the  platform 
which  we  now  de^re  to  take  the  place  of  the  ancient  Cambridge  Plat- 
form. They  found  a  close  similarity  to  that  long-revered  work  of  our 
fathers,  large  portions  being  little  else  than  a  substantial  reproduction  of 
that  document. 

They  foilnd  the  shorter  of  these  papers  to  be  concise  and  yet  com- 
prehensive, and  in  these  respects  well  calculated  for  ordinary  use  in  our 
churches,  and  for  insertion  in  our  church  manuals. 

A  careful  examination  on  the  part  of  the  committee  of  the  detailed 
statements  contained  in  these  documents,  and  of  written  suggestions  sent 
in  to  us  by  members  of  this  body,  reveals  the  fact  that  special  attention 
is  necessary  in  the  final  revision  to  the  following  points: 

1.  The  insertion  of  proof-texts^  after  the  manner  of  the  Cambridge 
Platform,  and  also  of  references  to  standard  works  on  CongregationalisoL 

2.  The  definition  of  Church  Polity. 

3.  The  definition  of  the  Church  Visible,  and  the  whole  arrangement  of 
the  definitions  of  the  church,  local  and  universal,  visible  and  invisible, 
militant  and  triumphant,  with  reference  to  the  question  of  genus  and 
species,  and  of  logical  consistency. 

4.  The  statement  concerning  councils,  as  to  their  action  in  certain 
cases  as  hoards  of  referees;  as  to  the  propriety  of  admitting  persons  as 
Gorresponding  members  not  inWted  in  the  letters-missive;  as  to  the  pro- 
priety of  sending  stated  supplies  to  act  as  pastors  on  councils;  as  to  the 
propriety  of  using  the  word  "  Synod,^^ 


JtXFORT   ON    CHURCH    FOLITT.  429 

5.  The  relation  of  eccleMsticcd  societies  to  the  chnrches,  and  the 
degree  and  kind  of  control  which  snch  societies  should  have  over  Church 
property,  and  also  as  to  the  recognition  and  commendation  of  the  prac- 
tice of  dispensing  with  the  "  ecclesiastical  society ''  altogether,  when  the 
civil  law  allows. 

6.  The  relation  of  baptized  children  to  the  church. 

7.  The  designation  of  the  church  members  who  may  properly  vote  in 
church  meetings. 

8.  The  more  distinct  recognition  of  the  aggressiye  and  missionary 
functions  of  the  church,  and  the  question  of  a  more  direct  control  by 
the  church  of  the  various  benevolent  enterprises  which  they  maintain. 

9.  Sundry  questions  concerning  ministers  and  the  peistoral  office,  such 
as  these  :  —  Should  a  minister  be  a  member  of  the  church  of  which  he 
is  pastor  ?  Are  the  statements  of  the  platform  under  consideration,  con- 
cerning the  eldership  and  the  presbyters,  on  page  nine,  correct  ?  What 
should  be  the  office  of  the  pastor  in  inaugurating  and  administering 
discipline  in  the  church  ?  Is  a  pastor,  ex  officio,  the  moderator  of  all  the 
meetings  of  the  church  ?  Are  the  rigJUs  and  powers  of  a  pastor  cor^ 
rectly  stated  ?  Should  the  pastor  have  entire  control  of  the  service  of 
teadUng  or  preaching  in  his  own  pulpit  ?  Should  a  church  ordain  and 
depose  from  the  ministry,  or  only  a  council  f 

10.  The  grouping  of  all  the  churches  of  a  city  or  town  into  one 
church,  page  six. 

11.  The  scriptural  requirement  that  the  Psalms  be  used  in  public 
worship. 

12.  A  more  precise  specification  of  the  only  mode  of  separation  from 
the  church. 

13.  The  importance  of  introducing  more  fhlly  the  doctrines  of  the 
Cambridge  platform,  concerning  the  withdrawal  of  fellowship  from  a 
disorderly  church  by  its  sister  churches. 

14.  The  importance  of  sharply  defining,  in  a  separate  chapter,  the 
distinction  between  the  church  polity  of  Congregationalists  and  the 
polity  of  other  denominations. 

15.  The  principle  and  law  of  fellowship  through  councils  and  the 
proper  functions  of  ex-perte  councils. 

16.  The  statement  made  on  page  thirteen,  article  six,  concerning  the 
treatment  of  excommunicated  church  members. 

17.  The  statement  made  on  page  eighteen,  section  twelve,  respecting 
the  confederation  of  chin*ches,  and  the  question  whether  there  should  be 
a  recoprnition  of  standing  councilB. 

18.  The  expediency  of  securing  the  preparation  of  a  catechism  upon 
the  cardinal  principles  of  our  faith  and  polity,  for  the  use  of  the  churches. 

Such  your  committee  have  found  to  be  the  general  character  of  the 
two  documents  submitted  to  them,  and  such  are  the  points  which  seem 
to  require  special  attention  and  revision. 

In  conclusioa,  your  committee  recommend  the  following  action  on  the 
part  of  the  Council : 

Btsohedj  That  this  Council,  having  reoeiyed  and  duly  ezamiaed  tha 


430  EEPORT    ON   CHURCH    POLITY. 

two  statements  of  church  polity  presented  to  them,  hereby  express 
their  approval  of  the  general  principles  and  scope  of  the  same. 

Besolved^  That  these  documents  be  referred  to  the  committee  report- 
ing them,  consisting  of  Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  D.  d.,  Kev.  Alonzo  H. 
Quint,  and  Rev.  Henry  M.  Storrs,  D.  d.,  which  committee  shall  be  en- 
larged by  the  addition  of  twenty-four  members,  of  whom  six  shall  be 
professors  selected,  one  from  each  of  our  six  theological  seminaries ; 
viz.,  Bangor,  Andover,  New  Haven,  East  Windsor,  Oberlin,  and 
Chicago,  to  be  nominated  by  the  committee  on  Nominations,  and  ap- 
pointed by  this  body,  who  shall  revise  and  publish  the  same  under  the 
following  instructions  : 

1.  All  members  and  ministers  of  Congregational  churches,  either  in  an 
individual  or  associated  capacity,  and  especially  the  contmiittec  who 
framed  these  documents,  shall  be  invited  by  the  committee  of  twenty- 
five  to  indicate  such  additions,  emendations,  and  omissions  as  they  may 
judge  proper. 

2.  The  committee  shall  take  into  special  and  careful  consideration  the 
points  to  which  attention  is  now  called  in  this  report,  and  in  general  shall 
be  empowered  to  make  such  changes  and  additions  to  the  documents 
in  their  charge  as  they  may  deem  advisable,  and  as  may  not  be  incon- 
sistent with  the  general  principles  now  approved. 

3.  In  cases  where,  without  a  violation  of  the  cardinal  principles  of 
Congregationalism,  the  usages  of  Congregationalists  differ,  the  mode 
preferred  by  the  committee  shall  be  inserted  in  the  text,  and  the  varying 
usages  shall  be  indicated  in  a  foot-note. 

4.  The  origin  and  history  of  the  document  shall  be  set  forth  in  a 
preface,  to  which  shall  be  appended  the  signatures  of  the  committee. 

5.  An  appendix  shall  be  added,  containing  such  ecclesiastical  formulas 
as  the  committee  may  deem  expedient 

John  P.  Gulliver, 
Edwards  A.  Park, 
Samuel  Harris, 
S.  C.  Bartlett, 
N.  Bishop, 
Chas.  C.  Salter, 
J.  Guernsey, 

J.  S.  HOYT, 

J.  G.  Davis, 
J.  D.  Liggett, 
E.  F.  Burr. 

Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt,  of  New  York,  presented  a  minority  report, 
as  follows:  — 

MINORITY  REPORT   ON  THE   STATEMENT  OF  CHURCH 

POLITY. 

The  undersigned,  a  minority  of  the  committee  of  the  National  Congre- 
gational Council,  to  whom  was  referred  the  statement  of  Congregational 


BEPORT    ON   CHURCH   POLITY.  431 

Polity  presented  by  the  Committee  of  the  Provisional  Conference  at 
New  York,  respectftiUy  report :  — 

That  the  Council,  and  the  churches  they  represent,  are  under  obliga- 
tions of  gratitude  to  the  Provisional  Committees  for  the  pains  and  study 
they  have  bestowed  in  the  preparation  of  this  document,  which  is  both 
instructive  and  valuable  as  a  presentation  of  the  ancient  principles  of 
Congregationalism  in  their  application  to  modern  circumstances. 
Should  it  be  published,  as  it  ought  to  be,  either  among  the  doings  of  this 
Council  or  in  a  separate  work,  or  in  both  these  ways,  it  will  add  one 
more  to  the  many  attempts  of  wise  and  good  men  to  reduce  these 
principles  and  their  applications  to  the  form  of  a  consistent  and  harmo- 
nious code.  As  the  latest  in  the  order  of  time,  it  will  be  found  among  the 
most  complete  and  useful  of  similar  compilations  in  our  language.  But 
valuable  as  all  must  admit  it  to  be  in  its  general  character,  and  worthy  of 
high  respect  as  a  comprehensive  statement,  it  is  quite  beyond  both  the 
province  and  the  capacity  of  this  Council  to  determine,  with  the  needful 
deliberation,  the  innumerable  points  of  detail  of  so  extensive  a  work. 
And  it  would  be  neither  right  nor  wise  for  the  Council  to  seem  to 
attach  the  authority  of  its  sanction  to  statements  which  it  has  neither 
formed  nor  considered  in  their  minute  expression  and  multifarious  appli- 
cation. What  is  rather  appropriate  for  this  Council,  would  be  such  a 
statement  of  the  general  principles  of  Congregationalism,  and  such  an 
exposition  of  the  bearing  of  those  principles  upon  the  civil  and  religious 
liberties  of  the  country,  upon  our  free  institutions,  and  upon  the  growth 
and  character  of  our  American  civilization,  as  would  be  fitted  to  com- 
mend their  principles  to  the  respectful  consideration  of  those  that  are  not 
Congregationalists,  and  illustrate  the  benefits  which  would  accrue  to 
churches  and  Christians  of  every  name  from  the  general  adoption  of  the 
simple  methods  of  church  government  exhibited  in  the  New  Testament 
If  Congregational  principles  are  destined  to  meet  with  general  preva- 
lence throughout  our  country,  I  apprehend  that  it  will  not  be  done 
by  the  present  slow  process  of  training  up  Congregational  ministers  in 
Congregational  seminaries,  who  shall  gather  Congregational  churches, 
forcing  their  way  in  antagonism  to  all  the  other  churches,  so  much  as  by 
ministers  and  churches  of  other  denominations  coming  by  convincement 
of  fact  and  conscience  to  the  belief  of  the  soundness  of  our  principles, 
and  the  safety  and  good  efiects  of  maintaining  church  life  and  efficiency 
with  such  simple  machinery. 

The  Congregationalists  of  England  and  Wales,  some  of  whose  churches 
are  older  than  our  own,  and  whose  numbers  and  efficiency,  the  learning 
and  orthodoxy  of  their  clergy,  and  the  general  intelligence  and  piety  of 
their  members,  entitle  their  views  and  practices  to  great  weight,  and 
with  whom  we  hold  equal  fellowship,  have  published  a  general  statement 
of  their  principles  of  faith  and  order,  which  may  afford  a  useful  hint  in 
regard  to  the  business  before  us.  It  was  prepared  at  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales  in  1832,  sub- 
Aiitted  to  the  ministers  and  churches  of  the  respective  county  and  dis- 


432  REPORT    ON   CHURCH    POLITY. 

trict  associations,  and,  having  met  with  general  approbation,  was  nnsn- 
imously  adopted  in  1833,  "  with  the  distinct  understanding  that  it  wts 
not  intended  as  a  text,  or  creed,  for  subscription."  Of  this  document, 
the  "  Principles  of  Church  Order  and  Discipline  "  occupy  about  one  page, 
and  this  has  been  found,  for  more  than  thirty  years,  to  be  a  sufScient 
exposition  of  the  nature  of  their  church  order  and  discipline,  mie  most 
important  parts  of  this  declaration  may  be  given  with  still  greater 
brevity,  omitting  such  portions  as  relate  to  their  particular  circamstances, 
and  with  such  changes  of  phraseology  as  may  give  to  the  principles  a 
greater  distinctness  of  expression. 

1.  They  hold  it  to  be  the  will  of  Christ  that  believers  should  assembto 
together  to  observe  religious  ordinances,  to  promote  constant  edification, 
to  perpetuate  and  propagate  the  Christian  religion,  and  to  advance  tiie 
worship  and  glory  of  God  ;  and  that  such  society  of  believers,  having 
these  objects  in  view,  is  properly  a  Christian  Church. 

2.  That  the  New  Testament  contains,  either  in  the  form  of  express 
statute  or  in  the  example  and  practice  of  apostles  and  apostolical 
churches,  all  the  principles  of  order  and  discipline  requisite  for  consti- 
tuting and  governing  the  churches  ;  so  that  human  traditions,  fathers, 
and  councils,  canons  and  creeds,  possess  no  authority  over  the  faith  and 
practice  of  Christians,  and  all  questions  are  to  be  settled  by  appeal  to  the 
Scriptures. 

3.  That  the  New  Testament  authorizes  every  Christian'  church  to 
elect  its  own  officers,  to  manage  all  its  own  affairs,  and  to  stand  inde- 
pendent of  all  authority,  saving  that  only  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

4.  That  the   only  officers    placed    by  the  apostles  over  individual 
churches  are  the  bishops  or  pastors,  and  the  deacons,  in  numbers  accordr 
ing  to  the  necessities  of  the  church  ;  and  to  these,  as  the  officers  of  the 
church,  is  committed  respectively  the  administration  of  its  spiritual  and ' 
temporal  concerns,  subject  to  the  approbation  of  the  church. 

5.  The  power  of  admission  into  any  Christian  church,  and  rejection 
from  it,  is  vested  in  the  church  itself,  and  to  be  exercised  only  through 
its  officers. 

6.  That  no  persons  should  be  received  as  members  of  Christian 
churches  but  such  as  make  a  creditable  profession  of  Christianity,  are 
living  according  to  its  precepts,  and  attest  a  willingness  to  be  subject 
to  its  discipline  ;  and  that  none  should  be  excluded  from  the  fellowship 
of  the  church  but  such  as  deny  the  faith  of  Christ,  violate  his  laws,  or 
refuse  to  submit  themselves  to  the  discipline  which  the  word  of  God 
imposes 

10.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  Christian  churches  to  hold  communion  with 
each  other,  to  entertain  an  enlarged  auction  for  each  other  as  mem- 
bers of  the  same  body,  and  to  co-operate  for  the  promotion  of  the 
Christian  cause ;  but  that  no  church  nor  union  of  churches  has  any 
right  or  power  to  interfere  with  the  faith  or  discipline  of  any  other 
church,  further  than  to  separate  from  such  as  in  faith  or  practice 
depart  from  the  gospel  of  Christ 

11.  That  it  is  the  privilege  and  duty  of  every  church  to  call  forth  sucii 


BEPORT   ON   CHURCH   POLITY.  433 

of  its  members  as  may  appear  to  be  qualified  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  to 
sustain  the  office  of  the  ministry  ;  and  that  Christian  churches  unitedly 
ought  to  consider  the  maintenance  of  the  Christian  ministry  in  an  ade- 
quate degree  of  learning,  as  one  of  its  (sic)  especial  cares ;  that  the 
cause  of  the  gospel  may  be  both  honorably  sustained  and  constantly 
promoted. 

12.  That  church  officers,  whether  bishops  or  deacons,  should  be  chosen 
by  the  free  voice  of  the  church  ;  but  that  their  dedication  to  the  duties 
of  their  office  should  take  place  with  special  prayers,  and  by  solemn 
designation  ;  to  which  most  of  the  churches  add  the  imposition  of  hands 
by  those  already  in  office. 

13.  That  the  fellowship  of  every  Christian  church  should  be  so  liberal 
as  to  admit  to  communion  in  the  Lord^s  Supper  all  whose  faith  and 
godliness  are  on  the  whole  undoubted,  though  conscientiously  diflering  in 
points  of  minor  importance  ;  and  that  this  outward  sign  of  fraternity  in 
Christ  should  be  co-extensive  with  the  fraternity  itself,  though  without 
involving  any  compliances  which  conscience  would  deem  sinful.* 

In  comparmg  these  passages  with  the  document  referred  to  this 
committee,  or  any  other  accredited  publication  on  American  Congrega- 
tionalism, several  considerable  differences  are  apparent,  both  in  the  pre- 
sentation and  the  application  of  the  practical  rules  drawn  from  the  one 
fundamental  principle  which  is  common  to  both  countries,  the  perfect 
autonomy  of  the  local  church.  For  instance,  they  do  not  require  the 
strictness  of  an  actual  covenant  to  the  being  of  a  church,  but  take  prac- 
tical union  in  worship  as  a  sufficient  basis  of  church  power  and  church 
responsibility,  which  is  all  that  can  be  clearly  proved  from  Scripture. 
They  give  the  binding  force  of  law  to  no  custom  or  inference  not 
clearly  found  in  Scripture.  They  give  more  distinct  and  express  prom- 
inency to  the  tenet  that  the  church  is  "  independent  of  all  authority  " 
but  Christ's.  On  the  other  hand,  their  requirement,  that  all  church 
action  should  be  "through  its  officers,"  would  not  be  well  received 
among  us,  where  all  our  people  are  accustomed  and  trained  to  take  an 
active  part  in  the  management  of  affairs. 

A  still  more  important  difference  appears  in  their  broader  presenta- 
tion of  the  rights  and  relations  of  churches,  so  as  to  include,  not  Con- 
gregational, but  all  "  Christian  churches,"  alike  in  their  claims  and 
re6ponsi])ilities.  Has  not  the  time  come,  and  is  not  this  Council  the 
appropriate  agent,  for  American  Congregationalists  to  take  this  elevated 
ground,  and,  looking  away  beyond  the  narrow  bounds  of  a  denomina- 
tion, procliiirn  to  all  Christian  churches  our  recognition  of  their  right  to 
all  the  liberties  which  we  enjoy,  and  our  readiness  to  embrace  in  our 
fellowship  of  the  churches  all  who  give  evidence  that  Christ  acknowl- 
edges them  for  his  ? 

This  view  of  the  possible  duty  of  the  Council  suggests  another  reason 
why  the  document  referred  to  us  is  not  quite  appropriate  to  the  occasion. 
It  is  based  upon  the  Cambridge  Platform  of  1648,  and  is  a  transcript  of 

1  See  Hanbury,  Historical  Memorials,  vol.  iii.  pp.  599,  600. 
28 


434  BEPORT   ON    CHURCH   POLITY. 

much  of  that  famous  and  valuable  record,  including  as  well  its  antiquated 
phraseology  as  its  uncouth  and  lumbering  logic.  But  that  platform  was 
an  outgrowth  of  the  circiunstances  in  which  our  Pilgrim  Fathers  then 
found  themselves,  only  twenty-eight  years  after  the  first  settlement  at 
Plymouth;  and  it  is  submitted  that  the  circumstances  in  which  thii 
Council  convenes  call  for  an  utterance  as  different  in  tone  and  aim  as  our 
present  situation,  duties,  and  responsibilities  difier  from  theirs.  If  we 
throw  ourselves  back  into  their  case,  we  shall  find  a  synod  summoned 
and  authorized  by  the  civil  power,  embracing  the  representatives  of 
thirty  or  forty  feeble  churches,  the  only  Christian  lights  of  about  aa 
many  thousand  civilized  inhabitants,  sprinkled  through  the  dense  wilder- 
ness from  Salem  to  Hartford.  They  were  pressed  down  with  two  great 
anxieties  which  they  looked  to  the  synod  to  allay.  First,  their  hearts 
longed,  even  to  bursting,  in  their  solitude  and  weakness,  to  feel  the  fel- 
lowship and  confidence  of  the  churches  of  the  Old  World,  so  large  and 
so  strong.  And  secondly,  they  felt  that  the  future  welfare  and  even  life 
of  their  whole  enterprise  depended  upon  the  preservation  of.  entire  unity 
among  themselves.  And  their  utterances  naturally  took  the  forms  cal- 
culated to  meet  these  their  greatest  necessities.  As  the  churches  of  the 
Old  World  with  whom  they  were  in  correspondence  were  all  Calvinistic, 
and  mostly  Presbyterian,  the  synod  gave  full  and  emphatic  assurance 
of  their  own  adherence  to  the  Calvinistic  formularies,  but  only  "  for 
substance  of  doctrine; "  and  were  also  careful  to  put  such  a  face  on  their 
own  Congregational  usages  as  was  best  fitted  to  make  them  appear  ca 
good  as  Presbytery.  And  on  the  other  point,  they  made  the  cords  of  their 
unity  fully  as  stringent  as  could  possibly  appear  consistent  with  the  car- 
dinal principle  of  the  autonomy  of  the  individual  church.  And  from 
that  time  to  the  present,  Congregationalism  has  suflfered  itself  to  be  shut 
up  in  a  corner  of  the  country,  and  has  presented  itself  as  on  the  defensive 
in  the  presence  of  the  more  organized  and  governed  bodies  of  Christian 
churches  in  this  country  ;  and  all  its  utterances  have  been  more  or  less 
apologetic  in  their  tone.  And  in  like  manner,  it  has  been  the  great  care 
of  our  leading  minds  to  cherish  the  spirit  of  unity  among  ourselves  ;  to 
consolidate  our  ranks  as  a  sect  among  sects  ;  to  tone  down  diversities, 
and  repress  everything  out  of  the  ordinary  course  ;  often  sacrificing 
efliciency  to  uniformity  ;  trying  to  elevate  usage  into  the  rank  of  law ; 
and  to  lower  the  sacred  sympathies  of  fellowship  into  the  character  of  a 
code  with  despotic  power.  This  first  meeting  in  a  National  Council, 
of  the  Congregational  churches,  naturally  calls  us  to  take  an  account  of 
the  results  of  this  whole  restrictive  policy.  And,  what  do  we  find  ? 
Why,  just  this,  that  we  have  kept  our  churches  in  unity  and  order,  but 
have  lost  our  hold  upon  the  people.  Whereas,  at  the  beginning  of  our 
national  existence,  Congregationalism  embraced  the  whole  population 
of  New  England,  except  in  Rhode  Island,  and  a  few  congregations  of 
Episcopalians  and  of  Baptists  elsewhere,  at  the  present  time  we  are 
in  a  minority  in  every  county  and  almost  every  township  of  New 
England.    Why  should  we  take  measures  to  spread  ourselves  over  the 


REPORT   ON    CHURCH   POLITY.  435 

whole  country  by  pursuing  a  policy  which  has  not  enabled  us  to  keep 
what  we  once  had  firmly  in  hand  ? 

The  Very  circumstances  under  which  this  Council  assembles,  by  their 
strong  contrast  with  those  of  the  Cambridge  Synod,  might  well  suggest 
to  us  that  the  time  has  come  for  a  trial  of  a  different  policy.  The  jjopu- 
lation  of  the  country  has  increased  well-nigh  a  thousand-fold,  and  even 
our  Congregational  churches  have  multiplied  about  a  hundred-fold. 
The  glorious  issue  of  a  glorious  war  for  the  defense  of  our  national  ex- 
istence has  placed  our  nation  in  the  fore-front  among  nations,  and  laid 
upon  us  a  proportionate  responsibility  in  reference  to  the  establishment 
of  Christ's  kingdom.  The  same  social  convulsion  which  has  thrown 
down  the  hitherto  impenetrable  barrier  to  the  extension  of  our  princi- 
ples in  one  half  of  the  country  has  deprived  the  great  organized  and 
governed  bodies  of  churches  of  no  small  share  of  their  strength,  both  of  ' 
members  and  ot  vivifying  energy.  Let  us  now  realize  our  opportunity, 
raise  ourselves  up  to  the  hight  of  our  privilege,  look  beyond  the  narrow 
field  of  denominational  aggrandizement,  and  see  what  we  can  do  in 
giving  to  the  great  fundamental  principles  of  Congregationalism  the  in- 
fluence they  deserve,  and  which  the  interests  both  of  religion  and  of  the 
country  so  perilously  need.  We  do  not  now  need  to  seek  the  guidance 
of  Europe,  or  court  its  favor  ;  for  Europe  now  comes  to  us  with  its 
explanations  and  professions,  and  asks  of  us  the  good-will  which  we  are 
ready  to  give,  and  the  example  which  tbey  will  be  glad  to  follow.  We 
no  longer  stand  on  the  defensive  in  the  presence  of  presbytery,  or  prel- 
acy, or  itinerancy ;  but  are  able  and  bound  to  stand  upon  our  pure 
scriptural  basis,  and  let  them  apologize  as  well  as  they  can  for  their  un- 
scriptural  usurpations,  and  their  imposition  of  unlawful  burdens  which 
the  churches  are  unable  and  ought  not  to  bear.  With  our  order  and 
unity  as  fully  recognized  and  firmly  established  as  the  Union  and  gov- 
ernment of  the  nation  itself ;  with  our  doctrinal  soundness  and  harmony 
in  the  great  principles  of  Christianity,  and  freedom  and  divinity  in  the 
modes  of  presentation  ;  with  our  learned  ministry  and  numerous  col- 
leges and  seminaries  ;  with  our  educated  population  and  the  vast  wealth 
diffused  among  the  people  ;  with  our  benevolent  Boards  and  Societies 
which  have  been  and  are  the  exemplars  of  all  others  ;  and  with  the  kind 
favor  of  God  in  giving  so  great  prosperity,  as  well  as  in  pouring  out  his 
Spirit  ui)on  our  congregations,  —  surely  it  is  not  becoming  for  us  to  offer 
any  other  explanation  or  apology  for  our  faith  or  order  than  to  point  at 
their  fruits,  "  known  and  read  of  all  men."  In  what  remote  country  or 
in  what  benighted  corner  is  it  necessary  to  raise  an  argument  or  ad- 
duce vouchers  to  ])rove  that  the  Congregationalists  of  the  United  States 
of  America  are  a  body  of  evangelical  Christians,  enlightened  and  benev- 
olent, and  worthy  of  as  much  respect  and  confidence  as  any  other  body, 
of  any  other  name,  or  in  any  other  country  ?  .With  abundant  reason  to 
be  humble  before  God  that  our  good  fruits  are  so  far  below  our  ob- 
ligations, we  stand  up  before  all  Christian  men,  and  offer  and  demand 
a  perfect  and  equal  reciprocity  of  respect  and  confidence  and  coopera- 
tion.   Neither  is  it  becoming  for  us,  after  the  scenes  we  have  passed 


436  BEPORT   ON    CHURCH    POLITY. 

« 

through,  and  the  experience  we  have  had  in  two  hundred  and  fiity 
years,  to  cherish  or  allow  the  continuance  of  distrust  and  harassing  ai^ 
captious  anxiety,  lest  our  freedom  of  thought,  controlled  onl^by  ihe 
government  of  opinion,  should  be  unable  to  preserve  the  soandne^  (rf 
the  faith,  or  lest  our  allowed  diversity  of  gifts  ancl  methods  of  action 
should  at  length  prove  incompatible  with  the  Christian  unity  which  is 
practically  necessary  for  our  highest  usefulness  and  honor.  It  is  our 
duty  now  to  assume  the  sufficiency  of  our  ecclesiastical  system  by  boldly 
commending  it  to  others  as  tried  and  trustworthy;  to  commend  our 
way  to  the  confidence  of  others  by  writing  as  if  we  believed  it  ourselves; 
to  spend  as  little  time  or  strength  as  possible  in  the  indulgence  of  cavils 
and  fears;  and,  in  the  assurance  that  we  are  right,  to  go  forward  in  the 
most  unreserved  manner  to  give  the  widest  influence  to  our  principles, 
and  aim  to  secure  at  the  earliest  period  the  universal  adoption  of  our 
ecclesiastical  prder  by  all  churches  of  every  name  and  diversity  that  have 
a  right  to  be  called  Christians. 

With  this  view,  and  without  asking  of  the  Council  their  publication  of 
this  report,  or  any  sanction  of  its  statements  and  reasonings,  the  under- 
signed recommend  that,  besides  ordering  the  publishing  of  the  provis- 
ional report,  the  following  resolutions  be  adopted  as  embracing  the 
declarations  and  indicating  the  policy  which  this  body  might  appro- 
priately put  forth  in  place  of  the  lengthy  document  referred  to  the 
committee :  — 

EesoJved,  1.  That  the  laws  of  Christ,  which  give  to  the  individual  or 
local  societies  of  believers  alone  the  right  of  self-government,  including 
the  election  and  continuance  of  their  own  officers,  and  the  admission  and 
retention  of  members,  and  the  power  of  discipline  for  deliqueney,  nec- 
essarily make  such  churches  alone  responsible  for  the  exercise  of  these 
important  Amctions,  and  the  discharge  of  these  solemn  trusts;  and  from 
this  responsibility  they  can  neither  discharge  themselves,  nor  is  any 
human  authority  competent  to  absolve  them,  with  or  without  their  own 
consent. 

2.  That  the  existence  of  these  rights  and  responsibilities,  and  all  the 
consequent  duties  and  privileges,  does  not  depend  upon  any  compact, 
usage,  or  human  recognition,  but  solely  upon  the  fact  that  any  society  is 
in  reality  a  Church  of  Christ. 

3.  That  the  duty  of  individuals  or  other  churches  to  recognize  such 
society  as  a  church  of  Christ  arises  from  the  reasonable  evidence  they 
have  that  Christ  himself  so  regards  and  treats  it, 

4.  That  the  relations  of  fellowship  between  churches  are  established 
by  the  laws  of  Christ,  and  do  not  depend  at  all  upon  any  agreement 
among  themselves,  any  modes  or  forms  in  their  organization,  any  name 
they  may  assume,  as  Congregational  or  any  other,  or  the  presence  or 
absence  of  any  peculiarities  whatever,  but  arise  and  attach  inseparably 
to  every  Church  of  Christ  in  respect  to  every  other  Church  of  Christ, 
and  can  neither  be  remitted  by  a  church,  nor  dissolved  by  any  human 
authority,  usurped  or  otherwise. 


REPORT    ON    CHURCH    POLITY.  437 

5.  That  this  Council,  representing  the  body  of  churches  in  the  United 
States  commonly  called  Congregational,  bound  together  by  strong  sym- 
pathies and  hallowed  memories,  desire  to  lay  aside  all  claims,  all  usages, 
and  all  sentiments,  inconsistent  with  these  principles,  solely  because  they 
are  not  in  accordance  with  Christ's  laws;  and  we  hope  to  shape  our 
future  course  of  action  as  nearly  by  this  standard  as  human  infirmity 
will  allow. 

6.  That  we  cordially  invite  all  other  Christian  churches  in  this  country, 
by  their  love  to  Christ  and  regard  for  the  interests  of  religion  among  us, 
to  adopt  a  similar  course;  to  renounce  all  human  authority  over  them, 
whether  presbyterial,  prelatical,  or  itmerant,  which  would  hinder  them 
from  the  exercise  of  these  rights,  or  the  maintenance  of  these  principles; 
so  that  we  may  all  stand  together  and  act  together  as  one  united  brother- 
hood and  host  of  the  Lord. 

7.  That  it  is  the  natural  right  of  the  churches,  as  it  is  of  individuals, 
to  form  special  intimacies,  either  .transitory  or  permanent,  with  those  to 
whom  they  are  drawn  by  similarity  of  views,  objects,  and  habits;  but 
this  should  never  be  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  duties  of  justice,  kind- 
ness, and  friendly  aid,  which  they  owe  alike  to  all  who  are  entitled  to  the 
name  of  Christian  Churches,  irrespective  of  any  peculiarities  or  differ- 
ences whatever.  As  surely  as  they  belong  to  Christ,  the  things  in  which 
they  agree  are  immeasurably  greater  than  the  things  in  which  they 
differ.  And  we  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,  churches  as  well  as  persons, 
and  our  unity  of  relation  and  consequent  duties  of  fellowship  with  all 
depend  not  upon  human  volition. 

Joshua  Leavitt. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut.  Before  this  report  passes  from 
the  hands  of  the  committee,  by  its  acceptance,  it  seems  to  me  necessary 
that  a  brief  statement  should  bo  made  of  the  principles  upon  which  the 
report  of  the  majority  has  been  founded.  The  simple  effort  has  been,  to 
enable  this  Council  to  do  as  much  as  it  was  possible  for  them  to  do,  by 
way  of  propounding  to  the  churches  a  system  of  church  discipline.  The 
committee  became  convinced,  at  a  very  early  period,  that  it  would  be 
utterly  impossible,  physically  impossible,  —  1  think  myself,  morally  im- 
possible, —  for  this  Council  to  go  over  the  whole  of  this  extended  docu- 
ment, covering  twenty-seven  large  and  closely-printed  pages,  and  exam- 
ine every  item,  every  expression,  every  word,  noting  all  omissions,  and 
making  every  emendation  that  might  be  deemed  desirable,  and  do  this 
work  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  themselves,  or  that  would  be  likely  to 
be  satisfactory  to  the  churches  to  which  it  is  to  be  presented.  •  We  all 
know  how  much  trouble  there  has  been  in  bringing  to  perfection  that 
very  brief  Declaration  of  Faith,  which  I  understand  was  adopted  this 
morning,  and  we  can  easily  understand  the  very  great  difficulty  there 
would  be  in  perfecting  such  a  document  as  this, — so  multitudinous  in  its 
details,  and  so  extended  in  its  bulk,  —  by  an  assembly  of  this  kind.  The 
committee,  therefore,  gave  that  up  as  impossible.  They,  however,  de- 
cided that  the  following  things  were  possible  for  the  Council: 


438  BEPORT   ON    CHURCH    POUTY. 

In  the  first  place,  that  it  was  possible  for  this  Council,  in  the  opinion 
of  the  committee,  to  form  a  general  estimate  of  this  document;  to  know 
whether  they  are  prepared  to  adopt,  and  to  copimend  to  the  churches,  the 
general  principles  upon  which  it  is  founded.  The  members  of  this  Coun- 
cil are  prepared,  after  having  had  this  document  in  their  hands  for  nearly 
a  week,  to  say  whether  they  will  adopt  and  commend  the  principles  con- 
tained in  it,  or  whether  they  wish  to  discuss,  to  propound,  and  to  indorse 
the  principles  which  have  been  so  ably  presented  in  the  minority  report 
at  this  time.  We  can  do  as  much  as  this.  We  can  give  our  general  ap- 
proval to  the  general  principles  and  scope  of  the  document  now  before 
Us. 

The  committee  thought  the  Council  could  take  another  step:  that  it 
could  appoint  a  committee  of  twelve  (as  it  has  done),  which  committee, 
in  their  name,  should  give  that  attention  to  the  subject  which  the  great 
body  of  the  Council  Could  not  possibly  give.  That  committee  was  an- 
nounced just  a  week  ago,  I  believe,  and  since  that  time,  they  have  been 
in  almost  constant  session  and  labor,  hardly  taking  time  for  sleep,  de- 
priving themselves  of  the  enjoyment  of  nearly  all  the  public  proceedings 
of  this  Council;  and  they  have,  collectively  and  individually,  gone  over 
that  document,  article  by  article,  item  by  item,  —  some  of  us  going  over 
it  repeatedly,  and  with  very  great  care  and  deliberation.  The  Council 
could,  we  thought,  through  such  a  committee,  designate  the  points  which 
need  attention.  We  did  not  believe  that  the  Council,  through  its  com- 
mittee, nor  any  committee  in  behalf  of  the  Council,  could  settle  all  those 
points;  but  we  did  think  the  committee  could  do  as  much  as  this:  they 
could  cull  out  the  points  that  needed  further  attention,  and  present  them 
to  the  Council  as  possibly  requiring  revision. 

The  committee  thought  the  Council  could  do  another  thing:  that  it 
could  indicate  to  the  committee  such  emendations  and  omissions  as  indi- 
viduals should  think  needful.  Accordingly,  public  invitation  was  given 
in  the  Council,  that  such  emendations  should  be  suggested  to  the  com- 
mittee. They  have  been  suggested,  and  they  have  all  been  at  least 
substantially  embraced  in  the  statement  which  we  have  made  of  those 
points  in  this  document  which  we  considered  worthy  of  further  attention. 

Then  we  thought  that,  after  the  Council  had  done  all  in  these  various 
steps  which  it  could  possibly  do  at  its  present  session,  in  its  present  ca- 
pacity, it  might  still,  for  the  future,  go  one  step  further.  It  might  ap- 
point, by  its  own  selection,  and  by  its  own  authority,  a  committee,  —  a 
large  committee, —  a  committee  that  should  represent  the  current  leaning 
of  our  denomination  in  regard  to  this  subject  of  church  polity;  and  that 
committee,  being  so  appointed  by  the  Council,  might  complete  the  work 
which  the  Council  itself  could  not  do;  and  that  the  completion  of  the 
work,  the  perfecting  of  these  minuter  details,  could  be  made  known  to  the 
world  under  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  the  committee  thus  ap- 
pointed by  the  Council. 

In  this  manner,  your  committee  have  endeavored  to  lay  out,  as  dis- 
tinctly as  they  could,  what  was  possible  in  regard  to  this  matter  on  the 
port  of  the  Council,  and  what  was  impossible  in  respect  to  it,  and  to 


CHURCH    POLITY.  439 

# 

recommend  the  adoption  of  a  plan  which  embraces  all  that  is  possible, 
so  far  as  we  are  able  to  form  an  opinion  concerning  it,  and  excludes  all 
that  is  impossible  to  you.  This  is  the  basis  and  principle  upon  which 
the  majority  report,  which  has  been  made  in  your  hearing,  is  founded. 

Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt,  of  New  York.  1  should  be  glad  to  make  a  single 
word  of  explanation.  The  document  referred  to  the  committee  is  of  the 
nature  of  a  code  of  practice;  so  it  would  be  called  by  lawyers,  1  think. 
Having  had  in  my  youth  some  little  familiarity  with  law-books  and  their 
use,  I  have  endeavored  to  imagine  to  myself  a  convention  of  lawyers, 
delegated  in  the  proportion  of  one  to  every  ten  from  all  parts  of  the 
United  States,  assembled  together  to  construct  a  code  of  practice.  Those 
who  are  familiar  with  the  matter  can  imagine  for  themselves  what  sort 
of  a  book  it  would  be.  Books  of  practice,  with  which  lawyers  are  famil- 
iar, are  necessarily  the  product  of  individual  minds,  and  there  are,  per- 
haps, a  score  of  them  in  use,  more  or  less,  among  lawyers.  Some  of 
them  are  small  books  —  duodecimo;  some  octavo;  some  two  or  three 
volumes  octavo;  more  or  less  extensive,  and  of  greater  or  less  authority, 
according  to  their  estimated  worth. 

Now,  we  are  not  wiser  than  the  children  of  this  world.  >  We  can  not 
make  a  code  of  practice  by  a  convention,  nor  by  a  committee,  —  it  is  not 
possible.  If  it  is  made  at  all,  it  will  be  the  pro<luct  of  one,  or,  possibly, 
of  two  or  three  minds,  or  else  it  will  be  a  hodge-podge  that  will  make  its 
authors  a  laughing-stock  in  future  generations.    I  predict  that. 

Now,  sir,  a  desire  is  evidently  felt  to  get  a  code  of  practice  in  Congre- 
gationalism that  shall  possess  authority,  when  all  we  have  said  here, 
during  all  these  ten  or  a  dozen  days,  has  been  to  prove  that  we  have  no 
authority  in  Congregational  churches  except  that  of  the  Scriptures.  I 
look  upon  this  proposition,  —  the  least  injurious  that  could  be  made,— to 
appoint  a  committee  of  twenty-five  leading  and  learned  men  to  form  that 
code,  as  an  attempt  to  clothe  the  product,  which  that  committee  shall 
bring  forth,  with  authority. 

A  Member.  I  rise  to  a  question  of  order.  Is  it  in  order  to  discuss 
the  merits  of  this  question,  before  a  motion  is  made? 

Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt.  I  don't  know  that  I  am  going  beyond  the  prece- 
dents. 

The  Moderatob.  The  question  is  one  of  acceptance.  I  believe  the 
speaker  is  in  order. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Dlinois.    I  hope  he  may  be  heard.  - 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts.  I  move  that  the  reports  be  ac- 
cepted. 

This  motion  was  carried. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  that  the  report  of 
the  majority  be  adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts.  While  not  differing  very  materi- 
ally from  the  conclusions  to  which  the  committee  have  come,  I  would 


440  CHURCH    rOLITY. 

like  to  take  a  little  time  to  explain  a  few  things  in  regard  to  the  report 
of  the  preliminary  committee,  which  I  think  ought  to  be  understood  I 
should  not  presume  to  do  it,  in  the  presence  of  the  venerable  man  who  is 
so  much  better  able  to  do  it  than  I  am,  were  it  not  that,  ad  it  is  wcD 
known  that  the  main  statement  was  written  by  him,  with  scarcely  a 
touch  by  any  other  hand,  he  will  feel,  with  his  instinctive  modesty,  a  del- 
icacy in  saying  some  things  about  it,  which  I  can  say. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  production  of  a  code  of  practice,  &c 
I  want  to  say,  that  the  principle  on  which  these  documents  was  pre- 
pared was  not  that  of  making  a  new  code  of  practice,  or  anything  of  the 
kind;  it  was  simply  to  put  upon  paper,  in  the  clearest  way,  the  princi- 
ples, and,  connected  therewith,  the  present  usages  of  the  denomination; 
not  to  legislate  or  make  anything  new,  but  simply  to  record  what  is  the 
practice  of  the  churches. 

It  has  been  said,  in  substance,  that  it  is  well  for  us  to  show  what  wc 
believe  in  our  present  system,  that  people  may  see  it,  instead  of  arguing 
to  establish  it;  but  is  it  any  harm  for  us  to  put  on  paper  what  that  sys- 
tem is  ?  I  can  not  see  that  it  is.  There  is  no  attempt  here  to  introduce 
a  novelty;  I  want  that  understood.  Lest  brethren  should  be  frightened 
with  the  idea  that  there  is  an  attempt  to  force  something  new  on  the 
churches,  I  will  say  that  there  is  not  a  single  point  in  that  report  that  is 
not  believed  to  be  the  simple,  healthy  principle  of  our  churches-  The 
starting-point  was  this.  There  are  two  principles  in  our  polity.  One  is, 
the  entire  completeness  of  each  local  church  for  its  own  government; 
and  the  other  is,  the  principle  which  relates  to  all  those  duties  and  privi- 
leges which  grow  out  of  the  relation  of  one  church  to  another.  Every- 
thing that  conforms  to  those  two  principles,  everything  consistent  with 
them,  is  good  Congregationalism;  everything  opposed  to  either  of  them 
is  bad  Congregationalism.  We  believe  that  in  this  paper  there  is  noth- 
ing that  interferes  with  either  of  these  principles. 

Our  system  allows  flexibility;  it  is  adapted  to  every  place  where  it  is 
needed;  but,  at  the  same  time,  there  are  fundamental  principles  which 
will  always  keep  it,  in  practice,  from  going  far  out  of  the  way.  These 
are  the  two  principles  that  have  been  followed  in  the  report  of  the  pre- 
liminary committee. 

Then  the  Cambridge  Platform  has  been  followed,  to  a  great  extent  I 
do  not  agree  with  the  feeling  manifested  by  Dr.  Leavitt,  when  he  speaks 
of  its  "  uncouth  phraseology."  1  do  not  object  to  the  language  because 
there  is  an  antique  ring  to  it;  I  rather  prefer  it,  —  very  much  as  I  prefer 
King  James's  version  of  the  Bible  to  Sawyer's  translation.  [Laughter.] 
I  don't  think  that  a  little  spice  of  antiquity  will  hm't  us,  any  more  than 
I  think  that  the  gray  hairs,  which  are  quite  plenty  in  this  congregation, 
now  injure  the  appearance  of  this  body.  As  to  those  fathers  not  being 
qualified  to  explain  what  Congregationalism  is,  because  of  their  leaning 
to  Presbyterianism,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  I  differ  historically  from  the 
brother  who  has  spoken  of  that  matter.  Some  years  before  that  plat- 
form was  enunciated,  the  fathers  of  Congregationalism  were  defending 
Congiegutionalism  against  Presbyterianism,  not  leaning  to  it    There 


CHURCH    POLITY.  441 

were  one  or  two  ministers  Wh,o  did,  but  not  the  bulk.  I  have  books  in 
my  own  library  written  against  Presbyterianism  by  those  very  minis- 
ters.   They  did  not  attempt  to  court  it 

Then  I  don't  think  these  men  were  ignorant,  if  they  did  live  two  hun- 
dred years  ago;  and  in  reiterating  our  love  for  the  doctrine  and  faith 
they  held,  and  for  their  polity,  I  don't  believe  there  is  any  harm  in  fol- 
lowing that  platform.  I  have  felt  it  was  best  that  this  body  should  as- 
sert some  such  thing;  and  I  felt  it  the  more  strongly  when  I  took  up  the 
"  Independent "  of  this  week,  where  I  found  an  article  from  the  eloquent 
brother  from  Connecticut  [Rev.  J.  P.  Gulliver],  in  which  he  says: 

"  Why  then,  we  must  still  ask,  do  we  need  a  platform  of  discipline, 
emanating  from  this  National  Council,  and  the  product  of  its  combined 
wisdom  ? 

"  It  is  that  the  polity  which  now  exists  may  be  distinctly  enunciatedy 
with  all  the  modifications  which  an  experience  of  more  than  two  centu- 
ries can  give. 

*'  It  is  that  the  polity,  which  is  now  so  well  understood  by  New  Eng- 
land men,  may  challenge  the  attention  of  all,  and  command  the  respect 
which  is  its  due. 

"  More  than  all,  it  is  that  the  polity  which  is  so  abhorrent  of  the  letter 
which  killeth,  and  so  instinct  with  the  spirit  which  giveth  life;  the  pol- 
ity which  is  so  tolerant  of  minute  variation,  and  so  flexible  in  its  practi- 
cal details,  may  yet  live  in  its  great  prindpUsy 

I  could  not,  if  I  talked  all  day,  find  expressions  that  come  closer  to  the 
tnith  than  these. 

This  body  could  not  consider  all  the  details  of  the  report;  therefore 
they  appointed  a  committee  to  consider  them  fully.  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  committee  was  too  large.  If  it  had  been  a  committee  of  three, 
I  think  they  would  have  come  to  a  conclusion  three  or  four  days  ago. 
We  have  seen  how  it  operated  in  regard  to  the  Declaration  of  Faith.  The 
larger  the  committee  was,  the  worse  we  were  off",  until  we  got  rid  of  all 
committees  on  that  subject,  and  then  we  settled  down  on  something.  If 
this  committee  had  been  smaller,  I  think  they  would  have  agreed.  I 
know,  if  I  was  one  of  a  committee  of  twelve,  1  should  have  my  pet  hobby, 
and  ride  him  very  thoroughly.  These  large  committees  remind  me  of 
the  story  of  two  deacons,  who  were  supposed  to  be  somewhat  obstinate. 
They  had  a  controversy  about  the  location  of  a  school-house,  and  a  great 
deal  of  alienation  arose.  At  last,  after  months  of  trouble  about  it,  one 
of  the  deacons  went  over  very  early  one  morning  to  his  brother  deacon's, 
and  said  he,  "  Brother,  I  haven't  slept  all  night  for  thinking  about  this 
matter.  It  isn't  right  to  differ  so  about  it;  we  must  agree;  and,  brother, 
you  have  got  to  give  up,  for  I  ca7i't."  [Laughter.]  That  is  very  much  the 
way  with  large  committees.  The  result  is,  that  instead  of  agreeing  about 
details,  they  see  any  number  of  questions  rising  about  this  matter  and  that. 
I  was  amazed  at  the  variety  of  petty  things  that  were  brought  up  by  this 
committee.  Nine-tenths  of  them  ought  to  have  been  settled  in  ten  min- 
utes. Many  of  them  are  perfectly  explained  in  the  paper  itself.  If  the 
original  committee  bad  been  consulted  in  regard  to  them,  they  could  in 


442  CHURCH   POLITY. 

• 

two  minutes  have  swept  off  two-thirds  of  them.  When  a  document  has 
been  thoroughly  studied  for  months,  and  extensive  correspondence  had, 
there  may  be  some  expressions  that  would  seem  natural  to  those  who 
prepared  it,  that  would  not  to  others;  yet  a  committee  not  tenacious  of 
mere  expressions  I  think  could  have  shown  why  they  should  agree  in  a 
little  time. 

This  body,  as  I  said,  could  not  examine  all  the  details,  therefore  they 
appointed  a  committee  to  examine  and  report  about  them,  which  they 
have  not  done.  Little  matters  about  ex  parte  councils  and  the  like  are 
objected  to.  The  very  statements  that  are  questioned  have  passed  under 
the  eyes,  not  only  of  students  of  these  matters,  but  of  legal  men,  well 
versed  in  ecclesiastical  history,  and  familiar  with  our  usages.  Then,  it  is 
questioned  whether  a  minister  should  be  a  member  of  his  own  church. 
That  question  should  not  be  settled.  There  are  things  that  we  want  to 
remain  in  doubt.  "We  don't  want  to  be  tied  down  in  reference  to  all 
these  petty  details.  While  I  think  a  minister  better  be  and  ought  to  be 
a  member  of  his  own  church,  I  am  not  going  to  complain  of  any  man 
who  thinks  it  is  not  best,  and  say  he  has  got  to  be,  or  not  be  a  minister. 
There  is  one  thing  that  might  offend  somebody,  and  that  is  to  say  that  a 
Congregationalist  minister  ought  to  be  and  must  be  a  member  of  a  Con- 
gregationalist  church,  not  of  some  other  church.  Such  a  declaration,  I 
can  well  imagine,  might  stir  up  some  people.     [Laughter.] 

There  are  a  great  many  of  these  things;  and  I  only  want  to  say,  that 
this  formidable  list  of  questions  could  be  swept  off  very  easily  in  a  few 
moments,  and  I  think  they  ought  to  have  been  swept  off.  I  say  this 
without  any  disrespect  to  the  committee.  It  was  too  large;  there  was 
the  great  difficulty.  This  difficulty  of  working  together  reminds  me  of  a 
mule  team  that  I  saw  down  near  Atlanta  last  year.  There  were  six  of 
them,  and  when  the  two  in  front  were  pulling,  the  other  four  were  not; 
and  when  the  two  in  the  center  pulled,  the  two  in  front  and  behind  stood 
still;  and  when  the  two  on  the  pole  pulled,  the  others  backed.  [Laugh- 
ter.] That  is  just  the  way  with  large  committees;  you  can't  get  them 
to  pull  together. 

Now,  this  committee  recommend  that  we  repeat  this  error.  They  rec- 
ommend that  a  large  committee  —  a  committee  of  twenty -five  —  be  ap- 
pointed, to  whom  this  matter  shall  be  referred.  Kow,  if  it  took  them 
eight  days  to  get  through,  and  you  appoint  this  committee  of  twenty- 
five,  you  may  go  home ;  you  will  never  see  that  document  again  in  this 
world.    [Laughter.]    Dr.  Leavitt  need  not  be  at  all  alarmed. 

Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt.    I'm  not 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint.  If  you  appoint  a  committee  at  all,  appoint  a  small 
one.  Twenty-five  men,  scattered  all  over  the  country,  —  when  can  they 
get  together  ? 

Rev.  Prof.  Bartlett,  of  Illinois.  The  committee  were  not  divided; 
they  were  substantially  agreed. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint.  I  take  it  back.  The  committee  were  agreed.  Here 
are  twenty-five  questions  that  they  couldn't  settle,  but — the  committee 
were  agreed.    If  you  appoint  this  large  committee,  you  may  order  them 


CHURCH    POLITY.  443 

to  report  to  the  National  Council  that  will  be  held  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  years  from  now,  —  it  would  be  of  no  use  to  expect  it  sooner. 
[Laughter.]  If  this  report  is  to  go  out  in  the  way  suggested,  appoint  a 
committee  of  five,  and  they  will  be  able  to  agree,  and  accomplish  the 
work. 

And  I  will  venture  to  suggest  another  thing.  I  do  not  like  the  sug- 
gestion in  this  report,  that  the  chairman  of  that  preliminary  committee, 
learned  as  he  is  in  this  whole  matter,  shall  be  deliberately  excluded  from 
this  committee. 

I  will  close  by  moving,  as  an  amendment,  that  instead  of  a  committee 
of  twenty-five,  there  be  a  committee  of  five  appointed,  to  whom  this 
whole  matter  shall  be  intrusted. 

Rev.  Prof.  Bartlett,  of  Illinois.  I  wish  merely  to  say  a  word  or 
two  in  regard  to  our  course.  It  is  very  evident  from  the  speech  just 
made,  that  if  there  had  been  a  very  small  committee,  and  that  a  commit- 
tee of  one,  and  that  committee  the  speaker,  the  whole  thing  would  have 
been  settled. 

It  is,  perhaps,  courteous,  Mr.  Moderator,  for  these  remarks  to  be 
made  in  reference  to  "mule  teams,"  and  things  of  that  kind;  and  it  may 
be  modest  for  an  individual  to  speak  in  this  way  of  a  conMnittee  who  have 
labored  carefully  upon  this  document,  and  now  present  the  result  of 
their  deliberations;  —  I  leave  that  to  the  body  to  judge.  Our  report  is 
Bot  founded  upon  disagreement;  it  is  founded  upon  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  document,  article  by  article,  conjointly  and  individually.  I 
do  not  wish  to  open  the  whole  si\bject  of  the  document,  with  all  its  con- 
tents; but  we  deliberately  concluded  that  the  matters  requiring  revision 
were  not  superficial.  We  stand  in  that  judgment  eleven  men,  with  no 
parental  or  personal  relation  to  it  Our  deliberate  opinion  is,  that  ^hile 
it  is  an  able  document,  of  great  depth  and  comprehensiveness, —  no 
doubt  as  able  as  any  three  gentlemen  in  this  body  could  have  prepared,  — 
it  still  contains  omissions  that  are,  in  the  judgment  of  each  of  these 
eleven  gentlemen,  important  omissions;  and  we  have  specified  those 
points.  We  also  thought  that  some  of  the  statements,  —  important  fun- 
damental statements,  too,  —  required  careful  revision.  We  found  some 
of  them  questionable,  some  loose,  some  contradictory.  As,  for  example, 
in  the  second  chapter,  where  it  is  stated,  in  the  first  paragraph,  that 
"  The  visible  church  consists  of  those  who  belong  to  Christ;  "  declaring 
them  to  be,  "  in  the  phrase  of  our  ancient  platform,  *  saints  by  calling,' " 
whereas  the  Cambridge  Platform  declares  that  they  are  those  who,  "  in 
charitable  discretion  may  be  accounted  saints  by  calling."  And  the  next 
article  declares  the  visible  saints  to  be  those  who  "  make  a  credible  pro- 
fession of  religion."  And  so  I  might  go  through  the  document  Our 
judgment  was  unanimous,  that  there  "were  several  articles  which  needed 
revision.  These  twenty-five  points  enumerated  include  a  great  many 
other  points,  so  that  they  amount  to  forty  or  upwards.  We  found  that 
we  could  not  put  these  matters  into  proper  shape  at  this  time,  and  it 
seemed  to  us  that  any  document  which  we  could  lay  before  you,  which 
might  then  be  passed,  would  be  passed  very  unintelligently  and  unad- 


444  CHURCH    POLITY. 

visedly.  It  seemed  to  me,  for  one,  that  that  would  not  be  in  accord- 
ance with  our  Congregational  usage.  It  seemed  to  me  that  a  document 
80  voluminous,  not  to  say  luminous, — twenty-seven  solid  pages,  —  could 
not  be  adjusted  by  us  as  it  ought  to  be  done.  There  were  brethren  who 
thought  it  could  be  done,  and  we  entered  upon  the  trial.  We  labored 
together  Qve  or  six  days,  and  then  those  brethren  who  were  most  enthu- 
siastic in  the  belief  that  this  could  be  made  all  right,  and  polished  for 
acceptance  and  adoption  here,  were  convinced  it  could  not  be  done. 
Some  of  us  felt,  too,  that,  under  the  circumstances,  it  was  more  congre- 
gational, after  having  expressed  our  view  of  the  substance  of  doctrine, 
to  refer  this  document  to  a  committee,  carefully  selected,  who  should 
then  put  it  forth,  not  as  the  authoritative  utterance  of  this  whole  Council, 
which  would  be  an  entire  revolution,  but  as  the  utterance  of  able  men, 
carefully  selected,  deliberately  considering,  and  also  deliberately  and  pro- 
tractedly consulting  together.  That  was  our  idea:  that  these  individuals 
should  take  time;  consider  profoundly;  go  to  their  friends  and  invite  sug- 
gestions; gather  all  these  thoughts,  and  then  come  together  as  a  whole, 
and  take  a  week,  or  two  or  three  or  four  weeks;  and  then,  having  got 
the  voice  of  the  committee,  in  conference  with  these  able  men  as  well  as 
others,  get  the  united  voice  of  the  churches  as  far  as  might  be,  and  then 
produce  a  document  which  should  bear  all  the  weight  to  which  it  was 
entitled  from  the  character  of  the  men  and  the  deliberation  thev  had 
expended  upon  it,  and  no  more.  That,  in  my  judgment,  is  the  true 
theory  of  Congregationalism. 

Rev.  Prof.  Park,  of  Massachusetts.  I  have  only  one  word  to  say. 
I  know  that  I  speak  as  a  "  mule ; "  my  only  hope  is,  that  I  may  speak  as 
a  respectable  one.    [Laughter.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.    Does  that  mean  a  Calvinistic  mule  ? 

Rev.  Prof.  Park.  I  don't  know  how  any  one  could  be  more  resjiect- 
able  than  that.  I  am  glad  that  the  Council  have  been  informed  that 
these  questions  are  not  proposed  because  the  committee  could  not  agree 
upon  the  topics  alluded  to.  "We  did  not  wish  to  express  our  disagreement 
with  the  preliminary  committee  in  a  bold  manner,  in  a  mulish  manner, 
and  therefore  we  have  suggested  our  opinion  on  topics  to  be  considered. 
And  one  reason  why  some  of  the  questions  were  proposed  is  this:  that 
there  are  varieties  of  usage,  and  great  varieties  of  opinion  with  regard 
to  some  of  them.  The  question  which  has  been  alluded  to  is  one: 
"  Should  a  minister  belong  to  his  own  church  ?  "  There  are  some  coun- 
cils which  will  not  ordain  a  minister  unless  he  will  promise  to  belong  to 
the  church  over  which  he  is  pastor;  and  there  are  some  councils  which 
will  not  ordain  a  minister  if  he  does  belong  to  the  church  over  which  he 
is  pastor.  Now,  this  is  an  apparent  difference  of  opinion!  [Laughter.] 
It  appears  to  the  committee,  Mr.  Moderator,  that  where  such  great  diversi- 
ties of  usage  exist,  they  should  be  stated,  and  the  reasons  for  one  usage 
and  the  reasons  for  another  usage  be  stated,  and  preference  be  given  to 
one  over  another,  provided  there  be  any  such  preference  found  in  the 
minds  of  the  able  men  who  may  bo  appointed  to  present  this  document 
to  the  world.    They  think,  sir,  that  there  are  many  instances  in  which 


CHURCH    POLITY.  445 

there  are  the  greatest  diversities  among  the  churches,  and  that  those 
instances  may  very  properly  be  specified  in  the  document  that  this 
Council  may  issue. 

I  think,  sir,  that  whatever  document  is  published  under  the  express  or 
implied  sanction  of  this  Council  will  have  very  great  influence.  It  will 
have,  doubtless,  more  influence  than  our  opinions  as  a  Council  really 
merit.  "VVe  are  a  multitudinous  body  ;  we  are  in  Boston  during  the 
heat  of  summer  ;  and  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  give  that  attention  to  that 
document  which  we  might  give  individually,  each  one  in  his  own  study. 
Still  the  document  will  be  considered  a6  having  the  authority  of  the 
Council.  Xow  we  propose  that  it  be  published  under  the  superintend- 
ence of  a  committee  appointed  by  this  Coimcil ;  but  yet,  this  committee 
will  not  be  considered  as  having  the  authority  of  the  Council  for  all  their 
utterances.  We  desire  it  to  be  a  large  committee  in  consequence  of  the 
great  variety  of  usage  in  the  country,  and  in  consequence  of  the  great 
variety  of  opinions  in  difierent  parts  of  the  country  ;  and  we  have  sup- 
posed that  the  diflerent  parts  of  the  country  would  consider  themselves 
better  represented  by  this  large  committee  than  if  we  had  a  small  one. 
Then,  sir,  there  may  be,  as  it  appears  to  the  committee,  many  references 
to  be  made  and  books  to  be  consulted  in  regard  to  it,  and  it  is  no  small 
labor  to  impose  upon  any  one  man,  or  any  two  or  three  men,  to  collect 
these  references  and  properly  adjust  them.  We  supposed  that  the  work 
might  be  divided  and  sub-divided,  in  such  a  manner  that  the  labor  would 
not  be  so  great  but  that  each  one  of  the  committee  could  easily  endure 
it.  We  thought,  also,  that  the  influence  of  the  document  would  be 
greater  on  our  missionary  stations,  and  in  courts  of  law,  if  it  came  under 
the  careful  supervision  of  a  large  committee,  who  will  have  the  benefit 
of  the  suggestions  made  by  all  the  members  of  this  Council,  and  by  the 
diflerent  cl\urches  to  whom  this  document,  prepared  by  the  committee, 
and  midcr  consideration  by  the  Council,  may  be  sent,  and  who  may  di- 
rect to  the  committee  of  twenty  or  twenty-five  their  hints  and  sugges- 
tions. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  Although  I  have  very  little  sensi- 
bility, parental,  in  regard  to  the  fate  of  this  document,  1  think,  at  the 
same  time,  I  might  be  excused  for  having  a  great  deal ;  for  I  may  say  it 
has  cost  me  a  great  deal  of  labor,  and  if,  instead  of  bringing  it  here,  I 
had  kept  it,  the  copyright  of  it,  I  think,  would  have  been  worth  §500  to 
me.  At  any  rate,  the  labor  I  have  bestowed  upon  it  1  might  have 
bestowed  in  a  way  to  make  it  worth  all  of  that  to  me.  I  might,  there- 
fore, perhaps,  be  excused  if  I  had  a  little  parental  sensibility  in  regard  to 
its  fate. 

I  took  my  first  lesson  in  Congregationalism,  in  reality,  from  the  author 
of  this  minority  report  The  whole  modern  development  of  Congrega- 
tionalism, as  1  conceive,  even  that  which  has  resulted  in  the  convocation 
of  this  assembly,  really  proceeded  from  an  article  which  was  written  by 
that  brother,  and  published  in  the  "  Quarterly  Christian  Spectator,"  at 
New  Haven,  in  the  year  1830.  Prior  to  that,  I,  having  been  educated  at 
the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  (Dr.  Woods),  at  Andover,had  no  more  conception 


446  CHURCH   POLITY. 

• 

of  Congregationalism  than  other  people  educated  in  the  same  waj, 
[Laughter.]  But  I  have  from  that  time  to  this  been  profoundly  and 
increasingly  interested  in  the  Congregational  church  order,  in  ita 
natural  growth  and  development  from  its  roots,  which  are  its  first  princi- 
ples, and  in  the  distinction  between  the  Congregational  form  and  concep- 
tion of  church  order  and  polity,  and  that  of  every  other  sort  and  name; 
and  the  great  incumbrance  upon  Congregationalism,  almost  from  the 
time  when  the  Cambridge  Platform  was  shaped  and  laid  down,  —  almost 
the  greatest  incumbrance  upon  its  progress  has  been  that  the  working 
of  it  has  been  confided  to  the  hands  of  a  ministry  who  either  did  not 
understand  it  or  did  not  believe  in  it  I  go  back  (not  in  my  personal 
recollection  exactly)  to  the  time  when,  in  Connecticut,  the  Congrega- 
tional churches  and  ministers  were  called  Presbyterian.  I  think  I  could 
take  down  in  the  Congregational  Library  a  volume  of  sermons,  or  some 
such  work,  by  the  immediate  predecessor  of  Dr.  Hawes,  who  styled  him- 
self "  Pastor  of  the  North  Presbyterian  Church  in  Hartford  ; "  and  I 
recollect  seeing,  a  few  years  ago,  a  certificate  signed  by  Dr.  Nathan 
Strong,  and  Dr.  Kathan  Perkins,  of  West  Hartford,  and  another  D.  D., 
or  a  person  of  the  same  standing,  certifying  that  the  churches  of  Con- 
necticut were  Presbyterian.  That  is  where  we  were  a  few  years  ago ; 
and  for  a  long  time  we  have  been  trying  to  tinker  up  Congregationalism 
by  borrowing,  —  and  the  process  is  not  ended  yet ;  —  borrowing  a  usage 
or  a  principle  from  Presbyterianism  ;  borrowing  some  little  bit  of  ritual, 
perhaps,  from  Episcopalianism ;  —  borrowing  in  this  direction  and  borrow- 
ing in  that,  instead  of  developing  our  system  from  its  original  ideas,  in 
which  it  has  its  whole  being,  as  the  chicken  is  in  the  egg  and  the  oak  m 
the  acorn. 

I  think  the  work  of  that  Cambridge  Synod  which  produced  the  plat- 
form of  1648  was  not  adequately  represented  by  the  author*  of  the  mi- 
nority report  at  all.  That  synod  met  first  in  1646.  That,  by  the  way, 
Mr.  Moderator,  was  the  only  National  Synod  or  Council  of  the  Congre- 
gational churches  that  ever  met  in  America.  The  subsequent  synod  — 
that  of  1662  —  was  a  Massachusetts  Synod,  and  neither  Connecticut  nor 
New  Haven  was  represented  in  it.  Nay,  under  the  influence  of  John 
Davenport,  my  predecessor,  the  whole  colony  of  New  Haven  sent  a 
remonstrance  against  the  aim  and  objects  of  that  memorable  body.  So  the 
synod  of  1680  was  a  Massachusetts  Synod,  as  much  so  as  that  of  1708, 
which  made  the  Saybrook  Platform,  was  a  Connecticut  Synod;  That 
Cambridge  Synod  met  first  in  1646,  continued  in  session  about  a  fort- 
night, discussing  matters,  elaborating,  making  its  preparations,  and. then, 
at  the  end  of  that  time,  appointed  a  committee  to  draw  up  a  jilatform. 
They  met  again  in  1647,  but  remained  in  session  only  a  very  short  time, 
the  prevalence  of  an  epidemic  disease  throughout  New  England  break- 
ing up  the  synod,  —  an  epidemic  of  which,  that  very  season,  Thomas 
Hooker  died  at  Hartford.  Then  it  met  a  third  time  in  1648,  and  after 
sitting  as  long  as  we  have  now,  it  resulted  in  that  memorable  and  most 
important  document,  the  Cambridge  Platform.  The  same  synod,  at 
the  same  time,  declared  its  assent  to  the  substance  of  doctrine  con- 


CHURCH   POLITY.  447 

tained  in  the  Westminster  Confpssion.  It  was  not  with  the  idea  of 
conciliating  Presbyterianism  that  that  synod  was  called,  I  apprehend. 
The  Congregational  element  was  just  beginning  to  be  developed. 

At  this  point,  the  hour  of  adjournment  (6i)  having  arrived, 
Dr.  Bacon  yielded  the  floor,  and  after  singing  the  Doxology,  the 
Council  adjourned. 

TEKTH  DAY,  SATUKDAY,  JUKE  24. 

The  Council  met  at  9  o'clock,  and  prayer  was  offered  by  the 
Moderator. 

The  i^inutes  were  read,  and,  some  corrections  having  been 
made,  approved. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  from  the  Business  Committee,  reported  the 
order  of  business  for  the  day,  with  a  recommendation  that 
speeches  be  limited  to  eight  minutes.  This  was  amended  by 
reducing  the  time  to  five  minutes,  and  the  report  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New  York.  Yesterday,  sir,  the  duty  of  re- 
plying to  that  admirable  document  from  Boston,  England,  was  intrusted 
to  yourself,  with  the  Assistant  Moderators;  and  now,  in  the  name  of  us 
all,  I  beg  to  move  that  the  document  be  referred,  instead,  to  a  committee 
of  pastors  in  this  city,  in  order  that  the  local  references  from  old  Boston 
to  new  Boston  may  be  properly  considered.  I  would  suggest  the  names 
of  Dr.  Blagden,  Dr.  Kirk,  and  the  Scribe,  Mr.  Dexter,  who  will  give  an 
official  signature  for  the  body. 

This  motion  was  carried. 

Dr.  Sweetser,  chairman  of  the  committee  on  Ministerial  Ed- 
ucation, presented  a  resolution,  recommending  that  the  resolu- 
tion submitted  to  them  in  reference  to  collegiate  and  theologi- 
cal institutions  at  the  West  be  referred  to  a  special  committee. 
Adopted. 

CHURCH  POLITY. 

Rov.  Mr.  GULLIVEK,  of  Connecticut  (Dr.  Bacon  yielding  the  floor). 
There  are  two  or  three  points  that  need  to  be  brought  up  here,  and  1 
think  they  will  very  much  facilitate  the  business  we  have  now  before  us. 
A  paper  was  referred  to  this  committee,  by  vote  of  the  Council,  which 
never  came  before  the  committee,  in  reference  to  the  preparation  of  a 
Catechism ;  and  the  committee  desire,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  see 
them,  —  and  I  know  it  will  be  their  unanimous  desire, — to  amend  their 
report  by  inserting  that  as  one  of  the  items,  if  there  is  a  general  assent 
thereto. 

There  is  another  point    The  committee,  in  the  report  which  was  pre- 


448  CHURCH   POLITY. 

sented  to  them  yesterday  afternoon  by  their  sub-committee,  found  a  pro- 
vision that  Dr.  Bacon  and  Mr.  Quint  should  constitute  a  joint  committee 
with  the  committee  of  twenty-five,  having  certain  powers  superior  to 
that  committee.  That  proposition  was  considered  very  objectionable, 
and  the  result  was,  that  in  the  haste  of  our  deliberations,  at  the  close, 
they  appear  to  have  been  cut  ofi*  from  that  committee  entirely.  I  am 
not  able  to  speak  now  in  the  name  of  the  committee,  but  I  can  as  an 
individual  member  of  that  committee,  with  the  approbation  of  all  whom 
I  have  been  able  to  see,  make  this  suggestion,  which  I  do  in  the  form  of 
an  amendment  to  the  proposition  to  appoint  a  committee  of  twenty-five, 
—  that  this  Council  re-appoint  the  committee  previously  appointed  by 
the  meeting  in  Xew  York,  —  Dr.  Bacon,  Mr.  Quint,  and  Dr.  Storrs,  — 
and  that  that  committee  be  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  those  members. 

Another  point.  Brother  Quint  [absent  in  committee]  'wishes  me  to 
say  that,  upon  explanations,  he  has  changed  his  view  with  regard  to  the 
number  of  which  this  committee  should  consist,  and  desires  me  to  with- 
draw, in  his  name,  the  amendment  he  proposed.  That  brings  us  back  to 
the  original  proposition,  that  a  committee  of  twenty-five  be  appointed, 
and  the  amendment  to  that,  namely,  that  the  original  committee  be  re- 
appointed and  added  to  the  committee  of  twenty-five,  making  twenty- 
eight  in  all.  I  am  prepared  to  give  reasons,  which  I  think  will  be  en- 
tirely satisfactory  to  this  Council,  as  they  have  been  to  brother  Quint, 
why  there  should  be  a  committee  of  this  size. 

Rev.  Mr.  Burr,  of  Connecticut.  I  would  inquire  whether  it  is  in- 
tended that  Dr.  Bacon  shall  be  chairman  of  that  committee  ? 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver.    That  follows,  necessarily. 

Rev.  Prof.  Bartlett,  of  Illinois.  I  would  inquire  whether  that  is  a 
correct  statement, — whether  it  is  not  always  in  the  power  of  a  committee 
to  choose  its  own  chairman  ? 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver.  That  is  the  wa}'^  it  struck  my  mind;  that  is  the 
expectation. 

The  Moderator.  In  reply  to  Prof.  Bartlett,. I  will  say,  that  I  un- 
derstand that  it  is  competent  for  any  committee  to  appoint  its  own 
chairman,  unless  the  body  appointing  that  committee  designate  the 
chairman. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut.  I  am  altogether  at  a  loss.  I  find  a 
rule  that  every  speaker  shall  be  limited  to  five  minutes;  and  I  don't  see 
that  I  can  do  any  good  whatever  by  speaking  five  minutes,  or  help  any- 
body to  a  conclusion. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut.  I  move  that  that  ride  be  suspend- 
ed in  the  case  of  Dr.  Bacon,  who  was  chairman  of  the  committee  and 
wrote  the  report,  and  certainly  has  a  right  to  explain  it. 

This  motion  was  passed. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.  Gratefully  acknowledging  the  kindness  of  the 
Council  toward  me,  I  desire  to  be  interrupted  if  my  remarks  are  pro- 
tracted beyond  any  reasonable  limit,  as  there  is  danger  that  they  will 


CHUBCH    POLITY.  449 

be,  because  I  can  not  judge  as  well  as  the  brethren  can  as  to  the  amount 
of  what  I  say  nor  the  pertinency  of  it. 

I  was  speaking,  last  evening,  about  the  Cambridge  Platform  —  the 
origin  of  it  and  the  meaning  of  it;  and  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  bring 
here  this  morning  the  record  of  the  Massachusetts  Colonial  Government, 
which  called  that  synod;  and  the  intention  with  which  that  synod  was 
assembled  is  upon  the  record,  and  will  be  suggestive  to  us  in  relation  to 
the  business  now  before  us.    It  reads  thus: 

"  The  right  form  of  church  government  and  discipline  being  a  good 
part  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  upon  earth,  the  settling  and  establishing 
thereof  by  the  joint  and  public  agreement  and  consent  of  churches,  and 
by  the  sanction  of  civil  authority,  must  needs  greatly  conduce  to  the 
honor  and  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  settling  and  safety 
of  church  and  commonwealth  where  such  a  duty  is  duly  attended  and 
performed;  and  inasmuch  as  times  of  public  peace,  which  by  the  mercy 
of  God  are  vouchsafed  to  these  plantations  (but  how  long  the  same  may 
continue  we  do  not  know),  are  much  more  commodious  for  the  effecting 
of  such  a  work  than  these  troublesome  times  of  war  and  of  public  disturb- 
ances thereby,  as  the  example  of  our  dear  native  coimtry  doth  witness  at 
this  day,  where,  by  reason  of  the  public  occasion  and  troubles  of  the 
state,  the  reformation  of  religion  and  the  establishing  of  the  same  is 
greatly  retarded,  and  at  the  best  can  not  be  perfected  without  much  diffi- 
culty and  danger;  and  whereas  divers  of  our  Christian  countrymen  and 
friends  in  England,  both  of  the  ministry  and  others,  considering  the  state 
of  things  in  this  country  in  regard  of  peace  and  otherwise,  have  sundry 
times,  out  of  their  brotherly  faithfulness,  love,  and  care  of  our  well-do- 
ing, earnestly  by  letters  from  thence  solicited  and  called  upon  us  that  we 
would  not  neglect  the  opportunity  which  God  hath  put  into  our  hands 
for  the  effecting  of  so  glorious  and  good  a  work  as  is  mentioned,  whose 
advertisements  are  not  to  be  passed  over  without  due  regard  had  there- 
unto, and  considering  withal  that  through  want  of  the  things  here  spoken 
of,  some  differences  of  opinion  and  practice  of  one  church  from  another 
do  already  appear  amongst  us,  and  others,  if  not  timely  prevented,  arc 
like  speedily  to  ensue,  and  this  not  only  in  lesser  things,  but  even  in 
points  of  no  small  consequencfe,  and  very  mat«rial,  to  instance  "  —  then 
follow  some  particulars. 

"Therefore,  for  the  further  healing  and  preventing  of  the  further 
growth  of  the  said  differences,  and  upon  the  other  grounds,  and  for  the 
other  ends  aforementioned,  and  although  this  Court  make  no  question  of 
their  lawful  power  by  the  Word  of  God  to  assemble  the  churches,  or 
their  messengers,  upon  occasion  of  counsel  for  anything  which  may  con- 
cern the  practice  of  the  churches,  yet  because  all  members  of  the  church- 
es, though  godly  and  faithful,  are  not  yet  clearly  satisfied,  it  is  therefore 
thought  expedient  for  the  present  occasion  not  to  make  use  of  that  pow- 
er, but  rather  hereby  declare  it  to  be  the  desire  of  this  present  General 
Court,  that  there  be  a  public  assembly  of  the  eldens  and  other  messen- 
gers of  the  several  churches  within  this  jurisdiction,  who  may  come 
together  and  meet  at  Cambridge  upon  the  first  day  of  September  now 

29 


450  CHURCH   POLITT. 

next  enBohig,''  Ac  (Becords  of  the  Ck>lony.  of  MaaMchusetts  Bay,  vol 
iiL  pp.  70-72.) 

Afterward,  there  10  a  section  inviting  the  plantations^  under  the  jnris- 
diction  of  Plymouth,  Ckmnecticut,  and  New  Haven,  to  send  there  tiie 
leaders  and  messengers  of  their  churches  also. 

It  appears  plainly  enough  from  what  I  have  just  read,  that  one  object 
which  the  framers  of  the  Cambridge  Platform  had  in  view  was  to  give 
light  and  help  to  their  friends  in  England,  who  were  then  contending 
against  the  Scotchmen  or  Presbyterians  —  against  the  attempt  to  bring 
the  *'*■  Solemn  League  and  Covenant "  into  England,  and  by  the  force  of 
that  ^^  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,''  to  establish  what  was  called  t 
'^  covenanted  uniformity  "  of  doctrine  and  of  discipline  throughout  the 
three  kingdoms,  England,  Wales,  and  Scotland.  That  "■  covenanted  uni- 
formity "  is  sought  for,  quarreled  for,  and  suffered  for  to  this  day.  Con- 
gregationalism was  spoken  of,  in  old  England,  as  ^  the  way  of  the  New 
England  brethren."  It  was  understood  that  there  was  a  way  they  had 
in  Scotland,  which  they  had  borrowed  from  Geneva  and  the  continent, 
and  there  was  another  way,  which  the  brethren  who  had  moved  from  the 
Old  World  into  the  New,  for  the  purpose  of  practicing,  as  they  expressed 
it,  "  the  positive  part  of  church  reformation,"  had  struck  out  here  in  the 
wildemcBB ;  and  it  was  for  the  sake  of  setting  out  that  way,  in  a  clear 
light,  not  only  for  themselves,  but  also  for  their  friends  in  England,  that 
this  Cambridge  Synod  or  National  Council  was  called.  And  I  may  say 
here,  that  the  whole  history  of  the  Congregationalism  of  England,  and 
the  present  status  of  it,  as  compared  with  the  history  and  present  status 
of  the  Congregationalism  of  New  England,  have  not  been  such  as  to  in- 
duce me  to  seek,  as  yet,  for  the  model  of  Congregationalism  in  old  Eng- 
land, as  the  report  of  the  minority  of  the  committee  seems  inclined  to  da 
Our  Congregationalism  is  not  Brownism.  Brownism  is  older  than  Con- 
gregationalism, in  one  sense;  older,  except  as  Congregationalism  is  as 
old  as  the  apostles.  Brownism  was  the  great  step  forward  in  the  discus- 
sions and  inquiries  which  resulted  in  that  boon  that  was  given  to  our 
fathers, —  free  Congregationalism  ;  and  Brownism  is  essentially  the 
scheme  that  is  set  before  us  in  the  report  of  the  minority  as  that  which 
will^  bring  in  the  millennium  straightway.  Brown  hit  upon  a  capital 
idea,  —  the  idea  of  the  duty  of  church  reformation,  —  to  be  practiced  by 
everybody,  without  waiting  for  government  There  was  the  point  of 
division  between  the  "  Separatists,"  or  "  Brownists,"  as  they  were  called, 
indiscriminately,  and  the  Puritans.  The  Puritans  were  waiting  and 
waiting  for  the  government  to  reform  the  church.  That  was  their  posi- 
tion. The  "  Separatists  "  took  up  Brown's  principle,  namely,  that  every 
man  was  to  reform  for  himself,  and  that  the  State  had  nothing  to  do  with 
it.  In  that  principle  lies  the  germ  of  Congregationalism,  and  the  germ 
of  all  our  liberty  to-day,  civil  and  religious, — in  the  idea  that  every  man 
was  to  practice  for  himself  the  reformation  of  the  church,  —  in  the  idea 
of  the  freedom  of  the  church,  not  by  asking  leave  of  Caesar  or  of  Eliza- 
beth, but  by  asking  leave  only  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  that  ia 
where  we  stand. 


CHURCH   POLITY.  461 

But  it  is  not  given  to  any  one  man  to  discover  the  whole  continent  of 
truth.  Columbus  discovered  the  West  India  Islands,  and  we  call  him'  the 
discoverer  of  America,  —  and  he  was  buried  in  Cuba.  It  is  one  of  his 
followers  who  is  said  to  have  discovered  the  continent  which  bears  his 
name.  Brown  only  discovered  an  outlying  island,  as  it  were  ;  a  conti- 
nent lies  beyond  it,  and  we  acquired  the  continent  I  have  no  notion,  for 
one,  of  going  back,  with  the  author  of  that  minority  report,  to  the  little 
island  where  Brown  was.    [Applause.] 

Now,  not  to  take  up  too  much  time,  let  me  suggest,  briefly,  this  : 
The  report  has  in  it,  I  may  say,  three  leading  ideas  or  principles,  and  I 
want  a  distinct  expression  of  the  Council  as  to  the  correctness  of  those 
three  leading  principles.  The  first  is  the  principle  of  the  autonomy  of 
every  particular  church  or  worshiping  assembly  of  Christians,  perma- 
nently embodied  and  organized  ;  that  there  is  no  church  other  than  the 
parochial  Congregational  church,  organized  for  government ;  that  no 
church  censure,  or  admonition,  or  excommunication,  no  ordination  of  a 
minister,  no  inauguration  or  deposition  of  church  ofllcers,  can  be  had  by 
any  other  authority  than  that  of  the  particular  or  local  church.  That  is 
the  first  principle,  out  of  which  our  whole  moral  system  proceeds  ;  but 
that  is  not  the  only  principle.  That  is  the  principle  of  the  minority  re- 
port, in  reality  ;  there  is  a  word  or  two  said  of  fellowship. 

The  next  great  principle  is  the  principle  of  the  communion  of  churches 
one  with  another ;  and  the  development  of  that  principle,  added  to  the 
development  of  the  first,  makes  Congregationalism.  And  there  lies  the 
difference  between  the  Congregationalism  of  New  England  and  the 
Congregationalism  of  Old  England  —  in  the  development  or  application 
of  the  principle  of  the  union  of  churches  one  with  another.  Do  we  hold 
that  principle  ?  The  brethren  in  England  hold  it  vaguely,  generally, 
obscurely,  in  a  sense,  as  it  is  held  forth  vaguely,  obscurely,  indefinitely, 
and  in  a  manner  incapable  of  application,  in  the  report  of  the  minority. 
It  is  the  definiteness  with  which  we  hold  that  principle  which  makes  us 
one  body,  and  which  gives  us  power  to  recognise  one  another,  and  to  act 
together  as  a  common  body,  in  mutual  confidence.  In  the  Cambridge 
platform,  that  principle  of  the  common  union  of  churches  one  with  an- 
other is  developed  theoretically.  When  that  synod  met,  less  than  twenty 
years  from  the  landing  at  Charlestown,  the  question  of  the  communion 
of  churches  one  with  another  was  the  great  theoretical  question  before 
them,  tiie  great  question  of  the  future,  the  great  question  for  England 
as  well  as  for  themselves,  and  they  developed  that  principle  as  well  as 
they  could  in  their  one  chapter  on  "The  Communion  of  Churches 
one  with  another."  In  this  new  draft  which  has  been  submitted  to  the 
Council,  that  chapter  is  extended  into  one  distinct  part  or  division 
of  the  entire  scheme,  the  parts  being  —  first,  some  few  general  prin- 
ciples and  definitions  ;  second,  the  autonomy  of  the  particular  or 
local  church  ;  thirdly,  the  communion  of  churches  one  with  another,  and 
their  mutual  responsibility.  First,  the  theory,  which  is  essentially  the 
«ame  with  that  of  the  Cambridge  platform  ;  second,  tfie  development  of 
the  theory,  which  gives  occasion  (1.)  for  a  chapter  on  Councils,  (2.)  a 
chapter  on  Conferences,  and  (3.)  a  chapter  on  National  Councils. 


452  CHURCH   POLITT. 

"• 

Now,  I  want  to  secure  the  attention  of  the  brethren,  before  we  take 
a  vote  upon  the  subject,  to  this  question  :  Do  we  believe  in  the  impor- 
tance of  the  communion  of  the  churches  one  with  another,  as  that  idea 
has  been  developed  and  applied  in  the  experience  of  the  two  hundred 
and  seventeen  years  that  have  elapsed  since  the  Cambridg^e  platform  was 
formed  ?  Do  we  believe  in  it  ?  I  do,  for  one  ;  and  J  believe  in  it  so 
firmly  that  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  any  body  or  (as  the  word  is 
here)  denomination,  —  1  do  not  like  the  word,  but  I  use  it  because  ii 
seems  to  be  intelligible,  —  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  any  denomina- 
tion of  Congregationalists  in  which  that  principle  of  the  communion  of 
churches  one  with  another,  and  their  responsibility  to  give  account  of 
their  proceedings  one  to  another,  in  all  matters  of  common  interest,  a 
not  recognized  and  acknowledged.    [Applause.] 

Now  how  do  our  brethren  in  England  ordain  their  ministers  ?  Ac- 
cording to  my  understanding  of  it,  a  church  elects  its  pastor  and  ordains 
him,  and  it  is  nobody's  business  who  he  is  or  what  he  is.  According  to 
our  principle,  the  church  elects  its  pastor  and  ordains  him,  and  it  is  the 
business  of  all  the  churches  who  he  is  and  what  he  is  ;  and  the  chnn-h 
that  ordains  him  is  responsible  to  all  the  churches  to  give  an  account 
whom  it  is  that  they  elect  to  that  office,  and  of  his  ordination  —  what  he 
is,  what  theology  he  holds,  what  faith,  what  principles  of  order, — what 
qualifications  he  has  by  nature,  by  education,  and  by  the  grace  of  Grod 
for  the  performance  of  that  duty  ;  and  if  a  church,  falling  back  on  ite 
reserved  rights,  its  extreme  powers,  says  :  "  We  will  have  nothing  to  do 
with  other  churches,  we  will  elect  whom  we  please  to  be  our  minister, 
and  we  will  turn  him  away  when  we  please,"  we  say,  "  Very  well,  only 
you  don't  ride  in  our  troop,  that 's  all."    [Applause.] 

So  if  the  Mt  Vernon  Church  excommunicates  a  man,  and  the  Old 
South  Church  takes  that  man  into  its  communion  the  next  Sabbath,  there 
is  a  breach  of  fellowship  between  those  two  churches.  There  is  no 
remedy  or  redress  in  such  cases  among  our  English  brethren,  as  I  under- 
stand their  system  —  no  help  ;  but  these  churches  must  stand  frowning 
over  one  against  the  other,  and  stand  in  perpetual  opposition  and  hos- 
tility until  Time  comes  to  heal  the  wound.  Our  system  is  otherwise. 
We  say,  that  if  a  man  is  excommunicated  from  this  church,  he  shall  not 
be  received  into  any  other  church  in  fellowship  with  this,  without  the 
intervention  of  a  council  to  examine  the  case,  and  to  give  advice  to  this 
church,  and  to  give  advice  to  the  person  who  has  been  excommuni- 
cated ;  and  if  this  church  refuses  to  follow  the  advice,  then  the  person 
has  his  redress,  and  may  be  received  into  the  Old  South  Church,  or  any 
other  church  that  sees  fit  to  receive  him  —  not  because  the  council  has 
put  him  in  there,  but  because  the  council  has  examined  into  the  case, 
and  is  of  opinion  that  the  fellowship  of  the  churches  will  not  be  broken 
by  one  of  them  receiving  that  man  to  communion 

I  refer  to  these  things  for  the  sake  of  showing  what  our  system  is. 
We  have  no  power  over  a  particular  church  but  the  power  of  the  church 
of  Christ  and  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures  ;  and  then  these  individual 
churches,  all  responsible  to  Christ  alone,  all  deriving  their  powers  di- 


CHURCH   POLITY.  453 

rectly  from  Christ,  recognifiing  the  obligations  of  good  neighborhood  and 
mutual  fellowship,  and  recognising  their  duty,  whenever  called  upon  in 
an  orderly  way,  to  give  an  account  of  any  of  their  proceedings  to  each 
other. 

I  have  been  a  member,  in  my  life-time,  I  believe,  of  three  ex  parte 
councils.  One  was  in  this  wise.  A  man  had  been  expelled  from  a 
church  in  Brooklyn,  Kew  York.  He  thought  he  was  unjustly  and  un- 
ecripturally  dealt  with,  and  had  a  long  argument  to  show  it.  He  asked 
the  church  to  unite  with  him  in  calling  a  council,  and  the  church  said  the 
case  was  plain  enough,  they  didn't  want  any  help  in  it,  and  they  wouldn't 
call  a  council.  He  called  an  ex  parte  council,  and  the  church  was 
courteous  enough  to  appear  before  us,  and  explain  its  proceedings.  It 
turned  out  that  the  man  was  a  very  troublesome  church  member ;  he 
was  always  making  motions  ;  he  didn't  like  the  minister,  and  was 
very  troublesome  indeed,  —  and  if  1  had  been  the  minister  I  should  have 
wanted  to  get  rid  of  him  very  much.  At  last  the  church  got  out  of  pa- 
tience with  him,  and  a  motion  was  made  that  he  be  excommunicated, 
and  that  he  have  ten  minutes  to  reply  to  that  motion  [Laughter]  ;  so  that 
he  was  excommunicated  after  the  fashion  of  a  drum-head  court-martial. 
Was  that  right  ?  According  to  the  report  of  the  minority  of  this  com- 
mittee, the  man  would  have  had  no  redress  whatever,  and  it  would  have 
been  no  interruption  of  order,  no  violation  of  any  comity  to  a  brother, 
for  that  church  to  have  voted  in  that  way. 

Another  instance  of  an  ex  parte  council  was  in  this  wise.  A  church 
(there  are  a  good  many  members  here  who  will  recollect  the  case  I  now 
refer  to),  had  got  into  trouble  —  lots  of  it  —  and  had  been  wrangling,  and 
going  like  a  machine  when  one  of  the  principal  wheels  is  broken ;  and 
at  last,  by  calling  in  all  the  women  and  children  to  vote,  they  voted  out 
just  about  a  moiety  of  the  members  of  the  church,  without  trial,  if  I 
recollect  the  story  right;  but  whether  it  is  right  or  wrong,  it  is  good 
enough  for  an  illustration.  Then  they  said,  "  We  are  independent,  and 
don't  want  any  council  about  this;  we  are  an  independent  church,  and 
wont  have  any  council."  Now,  I  say,  if  a  church  says  it  is  independent, 
and  wont  have  any  counsel,  then  it  don't  belong  to  us  —  we  have  nothing 
to  do  with  it  [Applause] ;  and  wherever  that  church  is,  whether  it  be  in 
Boston,  in  New  York,  in  Chicago,  or  in  San  Francisco,  it  don't  belong  to 
what  we  call  our  denomination.  .... 

Then  we  had  another  instance  quite  recently,  in  the  place  where  I  live, 
where  there  was  a  similar  division  of  a  church,  and  the  majority,  which 
was  constituted  by  calling  in  the  women  and  children  to  vote,  having 
settled  a  minister  in  defiance  of  the  communion  of  the  churches,  who 
assumed  to  call  himself  pastor  of  the  church  and  all  that  kind  of  thing, 
refused  to  recognize  the  right  of  the  claim  to  be  heard  by  a  majority  of 
the  brethren  on  the  ground.  Well,  the  council  decided  —  and  it  was  a 
large  council,  called  from  all  parts  of  the  State  —  that  a  church  which 
proceeded  in  that  manner  and  fashion  was  not,  in  the  common  accepta- 
tion of  the  word,  a  Congregational  church,  and  the  churches  of  Connec- 
ticut have  followed  the  advice  of  that  council,  so  far  as  I  know,  without 


454  CHURCH   POLITY. 

a  dissenting  Toice.    That  church  claimed  to  be  an  independent  chord, 
and  so  it  was;  but  independency,  in  that  sense,  is  not  Congr^rmtioDaiifli. 

There  is  one  point  raore  in  the  scheme  of  discipline,  of  order  and  fti- 
lowship,  which  is  laid  down  in  the  report  which  was  submitted  to  tkii 
body ;  namely,  that  there  is  recognised  among  us  a  ministry,  a  pioflb- 
sional  ministry,  consisting  of  men  devoted  and  consecrated  by  OFdinatini 
to  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospeL  That  is  not  in  the  Cambrid^ 
Platform.  It  was  not  really  in  the  theory  of  the  founders  of  the  liew 
England  churches,  for  they  did  not  see,  in  all  respects,  the  w<Nrking  ud 
application  of  their  own  principles.  They  held  to  lay  preaching  —  wittt 
they  called  ^^  prophesying,*^ —  but  they  did  not  see  how  to  recognise  uy 
man  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  who  was  not  an  officer  of  the  churck. 
That  distinction  is  clearly  made  in  the  document  under  oonsideratioa 
A  man  may  be  a  minister  of  the  gospel  who  has  received  the  ri^t-hiDd 
of  fellowship.  He  may  be  employed  in  the  work  of  the  ministtyii 
foreign  missions.  Eliot,  the  apostle  to  the  Indians,  was  pastor  (tfa 
church  over  here  in  Roxbury  as  long  as  he  lived.  The  churches  at  that 
time  had  no  idea  that  a  man  could  really  be  an  ordained  missionaiy,  a 
missionary  having  the  powers  of  a  minister  of  the  church,  unless  he  wai 
an  officer  in  the  church. 

We  have  outgrown  that,  and  it  is  an  inevitable  necessity  for  us  to  out- 
grow it  We  have  none  of  the  fear  which  they  had,  that  a  ministiy 
would  be  a  hierarchy.  Our  churches  have  grown  to  age,  and  can  take 
care  of  themselves.  There  is  no  danger  of  a  hierarchy;  and  the  fact 
that  Dr.  Licavitt  is  a  minister  of  the  gospel  gives  him  no  power  or  juris- 
diction in  the  church  of  which  he  is  a  member,  but  that  which  belong! 
to  his  judgment,  intelligence,  learning,  and  personal  character;  and  so 
of  any  other  minister.  Dr.  Anderson  here,  is  a  minister,  and  a  member 
of  a  church,  but  he  is  an  officer  in  no  church,  and  has  no  more  power  in 
the  church  of  which  he  is  a  member  than  any  other  member.  That  if 
the  distinction  which  is  clearly  laid  down  and  insisted  upon  in  the  docu- 
ment under  consideration. 

Now,  are  the  members  of  this  body,  as  a  body,  ready  to  adopt  these  prin- 
ciples: first,  that  a  church  is  a  church,  and  there  is  no  other;  no  chnrch 
but  a  congregation  of  believers,  ordinarily  consisting  of  those  who  can 
meet  for  worship  in  one  place,  and  whose  afikirs  are  managed  by  one 
administration ;  no  church  government  including  a  great  nuuiy  congre- 
gations, governed  by  a  representative  assembly;  no  church  governed  by 
a  synixl;  no  church  governed  by  a  prelate,  and  stretching  over  a  diocese; 
no  national  or  ecumenical  church,  governed  by  a  pope  or  by  a  council; 
but  only  the  local  church  ?  Are  we  ready  for  that  ?  Are  we  ready  for 
this  —  that  the  local  church  has  no  power  but  what  it  has  a  warrant  for 
from  Christ  ?  —  that  no  church  has  a  right  to  enact  any  rules  or  by-laws 
which  are  inconsistent  with  or  additional  to  the  New  Testament  ?  If  we 
are  not,  we  can  not  go  on.  If  we  insist  that  the  local  church  may  make 
itself  something  besides  a  church  of  Christ,  if  we  insist  that  it  can  under- 
take to  run  an  india-rubber  factory,  for  example,  or  that  it  may  under- 
take to  mine  and  ^  strike  ile  ^  [Laughter],  or  anything  of  that  kindy  then^ 


CHUKCH   POLITY.  455 

00  far  forth,  it  ceases  to  be  a  church;  and  if  it  assumes  to  be  anything 
other  than  a  New  Testament  church  of  Christ,  it  is  guilty  of  usurpation 
over  its  members. 

That  is  the  first  great  principle :  that  a  church  is  a  church,  and  derives 
its  power  .and  authority  from  Christ,  —  not  from  a  voluntary  compact, — 
mind  that  I  Not  that  a  certain  number  of  men  may  come  together  and 
say,  "  We  will  be  a  church,  and  we  will  be  a  political  organization,  too;  we 
will  be  a  church,  and  we  will  build  a  railroad  at  the  same  time;  we  will 
be  a  church,  and  we  will  be  something  else."  That  kind  of  voluntary  com- 
pact does  not  make  a  church.  A  church  is  made  simply  by  the  members 
of  it  agreeing — expressly  or  impliedly  agreeing  —  to  walk  together  in 
one  assembly,  under  the  rules  of  the  New  Testament,  trusting  in  Christ, 
doing  his  work  together,  helping  one  another,  administering  the  Word  and 
the  sacraments.  We  hold  that  Do  we  also  hold  the  communion  of 
churches  ? 

Do  we  also  recognize  a  ministry  —  a  ministry  with  no  powers,  no  pre- 
rogatives, no  jurisdiction  or  authority  over  the  churches  ?  If  we  do, 
then  we  have  got  the  essential  things  of  the  platform  before  us;  and  I  hope 
that  the  Council  will  so  far  adopt  the  platform  (if  I  may  call  it  so)  that  has 
been  submitted  here,  as  to  be  understood  distinctly  as  sanctioning  these 
three  principles.    If  so,  the  matters  of  detail  will  be  easily  adjusted. 

I  will  say  here,  that  some  of  the  things  which  seem  to  have  stumbled 
the  committee  are  misprints,  —  clerical  or  typographical  mistakes.  For 
example:  there  is  a  word  left  out  in  the  first  part  of  chap.  i.  part  2. 
"  The  visible  church  consists  of  those  who  belong  to  Christ,^'  &c.  It 
should  read,  "  The  visible  church  consists  of  those  who  visibly  belong  to 
Christ"  That  was  commented  on  yesterday,  and  very  properly.  It  is 
simply  a  case  of  omission.  I  mention  this  as  an  illustration  of  similar 
errors  which  have  crept  into  the  report  that  lies  before  you;  and  for  that 
reason  alone,  even  if  it  were  adopted  entire,  and  without  qualification,  it 
ought  to  be  referred  to  some  such  committee  as  is  here  proposed,  to  be 
perfected.  —  I  ask  pardon  for  having  spoken  so  long. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  I  wish  an  explanation  from  Dr. 
Bacon  himself,  lest  we  should  misunderstand  him  on  an  important  mat- 
ter; and  that  is,  in  relation  to  the  position  of  unsettled  ministers.  Are 
they  regarded  by  the  principle  laid  down  by  Dr.  Bacon  as  still  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  or  as  brethren  only  ?  The  ministers  don't  all  know  where 
they  belong.  This  body,  according  to  the  call,  was  to  be  composed  of 
pastors  and  delegates  from  the  churches,  —  meaning  those  not  pastors. 
Now,  the  question  has  risen  repeatedly  in  this  body,  whether  ministers 
were  authorized  to  be  chosen  under  that  calL 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon.    Certainly. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen.    If  that  is  admitted,  that  is  all. 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois.  There  are  special  reasons  why  I 
made  an  efibrt  to  obtain  the  floor;  I  will  state  what  those  reasons  are. 

Before  the  National  Council  had  been  called,  the  General  Association  of 
the  State  of  Illinois  put  in  operation  a  train  of  measures  designed  to  pro- 
duce or  procure  a  work  on  Congregationalism,  adapted  to  the  wants  of 


456  CHURCH   POLITY. 

the  West,  —  adapted  to  the  field  in  which  they  were  laborers.  I  was 
chairman  of  the  committee  the  first  year,  and  made  a  report  to  the  meet- 
ing at  Quincy,  which  report  was  accepted.  In  that  report,  I  laid  before 
them  the  outline  of  two  works,  —  one  a  large  work,  the  other  a  manual 
based  upon  the  large  work.  Both  were  adopted  by  the  Greneral  Asso- 
ciation, and  I  was  requested  to  finish  the  large  work  on  my  own  respon- 
sibility, and  to  finish  the  manual  and  report  it  to  them.  I  reported  the 
manual  to  the  General  Association  of  Illinois,  at  their  meeting  at  Peoria, 
just  before  the  meeting  of  this  Council.  The  report  was  accepted  and 
adopted,  but,  at  my  suggestion  and  request,  was  recommitted,  in  order 
that  I  might  attend  the  meeting  of  the  National  Council,  and  bear  what 
should  be  presented  there.  A  proposition  was  also  made  to  instruct  the 
representatives  of  that  association  to  request  this  body  to  have  the  man- 
ual, which  had  been  laid  before  the  Association,  read  before  this  CoundL 
To  this  I  objected,  inasmuch  as  there  was  a  course  inaugurated,  and  I 
felt,  from  the  ability  of  the  committee  that  had  been  appointed,  that  it 
would  be  thoroughly  carried  out,  and  I  preferred  not  to  seem  to  inter- 
fere or  to  commingle  myself  with  that  movement  I  am  now  called  upon 
to  vote  with  regard  to  the  proposition  that  is  before  you;  and  in  order 
that  I  may  justify  the  vote  which  I  feel  it  is  important  to  have  passed  in 
this  assembly,  I  ask  the  liberty  of  stating,  in  brief,  what  it  was  that  the 
General  Association  of  Illinois  instructed  me  to  do,  and  what,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Association,  it  is  important  should  be  done.  A  part  of  that 
work  would  be  accomplished  by  that  report;  a  part  would  not  be  accom- 
plished. To  meet  the  wants  of  Congregationalism  at  the  West,  which, 
after  a  residence  there  of  twenty-four  years,  I  think  I  understand,  it  is 
important  that  certain  things  should  be  done,  and  they  should  be  done  in 
a  way  in  which  they  would  not  be  likely  to  be  done  by  an  individual  who 
has  grown  up  in  the  midst  of  the  Congregationalism  of  Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut,  and  has  not  resided  at  the  West.  As  the  new  fields  — 
missionary  fields  —  are  specially  important  at  this  time,  so  it  is  specially 
important  that  Congregationalism  shall  be  contemplated  in  reference  to 
aggressive  movements ;  or,  if  not  aggressive,  that  they  shall  be  move- 
ments in  which  the  system  shall  be  so  presented  as  that  it  shall  be  best 
adapted  to  carry  the  convictions  of  those  to  whom  the  document  shall 
be  presented. 

The  five  minutes  having  expired,  on  motion  of  Dr.  Patton,  the 
Council  voted  to  allow  Dr.  Beecher  fifteen  minutes  more,  in 
view  of  the  relations  sustained  by  him  to  the  whole  subject  at 
the  West. 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher  resumed:  In  order,  then,  that  I  may  distinctly 
bring  before  this  body  those  things  which  it  seemed  important  to  the 
General  Association  of  our  State  should  be  done,  I  will  in  the  first  place 
read  an  outline  of  the  large  book  I  reported  to  them,  and  upon  the  basis 
oif  which  outline  the  manual  was  prepared,  which  was  reported  at  the 


CHURCH   POLITY.  457 

last  meeting  of  the  Association.  An;er  having,  in  the  first  place,  given  a 
general  view  of  the  works  on  Congregationalism  which  have  authority 
among  us,  both  in  England  and  in  this  country,  coming  down  as  late  as 
the  correspondence  and  works  by  Brother  Dexter  and  by  Brother  Quint, 
and  others  who  have  written  in  the  "  Congregational  Quarterly  "  (cover- 
ing the  ground  up  to  that  date),  I  proceeded  : 

"  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  providence  of  God  demands,  and 
has  prepared  the  way  for,  a  more  complete  and  comprehensive  work 
than  now  exists,  not,  indeed,  for  the  introduction  of  novel  speculations  or 
theories,  but  to  unite  what  the  spirit  and  providence  of  God  have  devel- 
oped in  the  wide  range  of  discussion  and  argument  of  which  an  outline 
has  been  given. 

"  Your  committee  will  give  an  outline  of  what  such  a  work  ought  to 
contain,  and  make  suggestions  as  to  its  preparation.    It  should  contain, 

"  1.  A  statement  of  the  teaching  of  Scripture  as  to  the  principles  and 
facts  of  the  original  ecclesiastical  organization  and  government  of  the 
churches,  free  from  modem  additions  and  extensioris,  confirmed  by  au- 
thorities and  concessions;  and  also  a  tracing  of  the  recognition  of  these 
facts  and  principles  by  history  into  the  first  and  second  centuries.  These 
scriptural  facts  and  principles  are  too  often  commingled  with  subsequent 
ideas  and  practices;  as,  for  instance,  councils,  mutuid  and  ex  parte.  This 
scriptural  portion  should  be  wrought  out  with  care,  discrimination,  and 
impartiality. 

"2.  An  investigation  of  the  scriptural  philosophy  of  Congregationalism, 
80  developed.  By  this  is  meant  a  view  of  its  end,  relations,  adaptations, 
and  place  in  the  system  which  God  is  administering  in  this  world,  taken 
as  a  whole,  and  considered  in  the  light  of  his  Word.  Here  different  views 
have  been  taken.  The  fathers  of  modem  Congregational  development 
took  the  ground  of  a  jure  dimno  system  of  Congregationalism.  Others 
in  modern  times  have  called  all  other  systems  organizations  of  Satan. 
From  this,  some  recoil  to  the  idea  that  the  scriptural  facts  involve  no 
enjoined  system,  but  contrary  wise;  that  there  is  a  providential  room  for 
diverse  modes  of  organization,  in  a  pliant  indefiniteness  as  to  outward 
organization.  The  question  is,  was  not  the  divine  original  adoption  of 
the  Congregational,  that  is,  of  the  anti-hierarchal,  system,  based  on  rea- 
sons common  to  all  ages,  and  is  it  not  essential  to  the  full  development  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  which  is  foretold  ?  If  it  is,  then  this  adaptation  and 
its  reasons  should  be  developed  and  set  forth  as  a  means  of  giving  tone 
to  the  feelings  of  the  professors  and  defenders  of  the  system,  and  of  se- 
curing that  final  result 

"  3.  A  statement  of  the  modem  development  of  Congregational  princi- 
ples, including  what  is  not  taught  by  express  command  or  example  in 
the  Bible,  but  what  is  introduced  on  the  ground  of  the  light  of  reason, 
viewed  as  a  divine  revelation;  for  the  early  fathers  of  the  system  agreed 
in  the  propriety  and  necessity  of  an  appeal  to  this  standard,  as  well  as  to 
scriptural  principles,  commands,  and  examples.  Punchard  and  others 
state  the  case  too  strongly  of  an  appeal  to  the  Bible  alone.    Upham  and 


458  CHURCH    POLITT. 

others,  espedaDy  the  fathere,  take  the  true  groimd  of  an  appeal  to  the 
light  of  nature,  as  the  voice  of  God« 

"^Thia  statement  dioold  include  two  parts:  1.  The  local  dmrt^ 
Tiewed  individually,  as  to  its  materials,  formation,  powers,  and  oi^^sn- 
izations.  2.  The  relations  of  Congregational  diurdies,  taken  in  tlie 
aggregate,  to  each  other  on  the  principles  of  church  fellowslap.  Here 
will  be  found  to  be  the  widest  field  for  an  appeal  to  the  light  of  nature. 

^  4.  A  development  of  the  system  in  action,  that  is,  a  description  of 
actual  Congregational  usages  and  precedents  as  to  the  mode  of  organ- 
izing churches,  receiving  or  dismissing  members,  electing  and  ordaining 
ofilcers,  administering  discipline,  calling  and  conducting  councils.  Of 
this  kind  are  Cotton's  Way  of  the  Churches  of  New  England;  Mather^ 
Batio  Discipline ;  most  of  Upham's  work  by  the  same  name  ;  the 
fourth  part  of  Punchard's  work;  the  third  part  of  Crowell's;  and  of  other 
works  a  part 

^'  5.  A  historical  outline  of  the  modem  revival  and  development  of  tiie 
system,  with  a  reference  to  the  causes  afiecting  it  during  this  progress, 
both  in  England  and  America,  and  the  errors  for  a  time  held  and  at 
length  eliminated.  Designed  also  to  expose  the  dangers  to  be  gnarded 
against  in  its  use,  in  the  light  of  experience,  and  to  give  cautions  against 
its  perversions  or  corruptions,  and  suggestions  as  to  what  should  be  done 
to  perfect  its  development  and  action." 

I  attach  very  great  importance  to  this  point  The  subject  of  councils 
in  Massachusetts  has  been  considered  in  a  very  able  article,  which  is  to 
appear  in  the  July  number  of  the  "  Boston  Review,"  by  the  Hon.  Wood- 
bury Davis,  a  lawyer,  and  is  entitled,  "  Congregational  Polity,  UsageS} 
and  Law."  He  introduces  the  decisions  of  civil  courts,  and  endeavors 
to  make  out  what  be  calls  Congregational  usage  as  an  existing  fact 
But  there  are  no  principles  stated  by  which  Congregational  usage,  as  an 
existing  fact,  can  be  judged  of,  and  by  which  the  question  can  be 
answered,  "  Is  that  usage  right  or  wrong  ?  "  "  Ought  that  usage  to  be 
abolished  or  not  ?  "  Existing  usage  may  tend  to  evil,  and  there  is  need 
of  principles  to  know  whether  it  does  tend  to  evil  or  not;  and  in  Massa- 
chusetts, in  particular,  it  is  a  matter  of  very  great  moment  Any  one 
who  knows  anything  in  regard  to  the  original  introduction  of  councils, — 
of  which  the  most  satisfactory  account  I  know  of  is  given  in  Palfrey's 
"History  of  Now  England," — knows  that  they  were  introduced  under 
peculiar  circumstances,  and  that  there  were  then  peculiar  influences 
operating  upon  councils.  The  Constitution  of  the  Civil  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts was  such,  at  that  time,  that  none  were  voters  but  those  who 
were  members  of  the  church.  The  formation  of  a  church  was  then,  of 
necessity,  the  introduction  of  so  many  voters  into  the  civil  State.  No 
church  could  be  formed  that  did  not  affect  the  question  of  voting;  and 
therefore  it  was  ordered  in  the  civil  State,  that  certain  regulations  should 
be  introduced  with  regard  to  councils  in  the  formation  of  churches;  and 
the  whole  development  of  Councils  was  aflected  by  that  relation  to  the 
oivil  State.    It  is  incumbent  upon  us  to  be  capable  of  Judging  with 


CHURCH    POLTTT.  469 

regard  to  this  development,  and  therefore  we  need  a  calm  historical 
analysis  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  the  system,  and  the  causes  that 
were  operating  at  the  time  of  its  development,  while  it  took  the  form  in 
which  it  actually  revealed  itself,  and  we  shall  never  understand  anything 
of  New  England  Congregationalism  as  we  ought  until  we  do  this. 

I  would  state,  still  further,  that  I  have  been  called,  in  Massachusetts 
especially,  to  act  on  ex  parte  councils.  One  ex  parte  council  occupied 
me  for  months,  in  laborious  investigations.  The  council  met  and 
adjourned  and  a  report  was  made  out,  and  that  report  was  afterward 
accepted.  The  main  object  of  that  council  was  to  correct  certain  modes 
of  abusing  Congregational  councils,  or  abusing  the  interior  structure  of 
the  Congregational  church  —  of  abusing  the  influence  of  ministers  who 
had  been  upon  a  council  subsequently  to  that  council.  I  might  enu- 
merate five  or  six  modes  which  have  been  practically  adopted  in  the 
churches  of  Massachusetts  of  perverting  and  abusing  the  system  of 
Congregationalism;  and  I  say  deliberately,  at  this  time,  from  my  knowl- 
edge of  it,  that  the  danger  in  Massachusetts  is,  of  tying  up  the  churches 
and  reducing  them  to  bondage  under  the  name  of  fellowship,  —  which  is 
a  sacred  name,  a  holy  name  [Applause],  —  so  that  they  shall  be  beneath 
a  power  indefinite,  which  Presbyterianism  is  not,  and  yet  doing  the  very 
things  which  Presbyterianism  does  —  doing  them  without  its  guards, 
doing  them  without  its  definiteness. 

This  historical  outline,  therefore,  of  the  modem  revival  and  develop- 
ment of  the  system,  with  reference  to  the  causes  afi*ecting  it  during  its 
progress,  and  the  errors  for  a  time  held,  and  at  length  eliminated,  is  of 
fundamental  importance  at  this  moment,  and  in  this  attempt  to  extend 
the  Congregational  system  and  augment  its  power,  that  we  may  have 
it  free  f^om  local  infiuences,  free,  if  I  may  say  so,  from  Kew  Englandism, 
—  for  New  England,  in  its  past  history,  you  know,  was  a  commingling 
of  church  and  state,  and  it  has  not  been  until  very  lately  that  New 
England  has  worked  itself  clear,  and  we  are  bound  to  work  Congrega*- 
tionalism  clear  from  all  the  corrupting  influences  that  have  come  into  it 
from  this  or  any  otber  source. 

The  last  point  is  a  statement  of  the  advantages  of  Congregationalism, 
in  itself,  and  in  comparison  with  other  systems,  and  answers  objections; 
and  for  the  practical  purpose  of  spreading  Congregationalism*  this  is  of 
very  great  moment.  A  mere  naked  statement  of  what  Congregation- 
alism is,  you  may  find  in  many  works,  but  if  we  are  intending,  as  a  body, 
to  carry  out  this  movement  to  spread  Congregationalism,  we  must  put  it 
in  a  form  to  spread. 

The  manual  reported  to  the  General  Association  of  Illinois  is  a  carrying 
out  in  part  of  the  points  in  this  outline,  and  it  was  my  purpose,  according 
to  the  recommendation  of  the  Greneral  Association,  to  prepare  a  largei 
work,  upon  my  own  responsibility,  on  this  general  plan. 

I  would  say  now,  in  applying  these  statements,  that  I  myself  could 
not  consistently  vote  for  the  report  of  Dr.  Bacon,  as  though  it  were  suf- 
ficient to  accomplish  aU  that  for  which  I  feel  that  such  a  work  ought  to 
be  prepared.    I  feel  that  the  manual  of  Dr.  Bacon  is  a  very  able  and 


460  CHURCH    POLTTT. 

valuable  one,  and  that  it  does  a  given  work  well,  bat  not  all  that  is 
required  at  this  time.  If  the  powers  of  the  committee  shall  be  so  con- 
strued as  to  include  the  right  to  introduce  whatever  in  their  judgment 
the  present  exigency  demands,  I  shall  cordially  vote  for  the  appoiotmeiil 
of  the  committee,  and  for  the  reference  of  Dr.  Bacon's  manual  to  them. 

Rev.  Dr.  Patton,  of  Illinois.    Mr,  Moderator^  —  The  brethren  at  the 
West,  as  is  well  known,  feel  a  special  interest  in  this  topic  ;  and  the  in- 
terest they  feel  in  it  is  not,  as  I  suppose,  because  they  have  any  quarrd 
with  New  England,  or  any  antagonism  with  New  England,  —  nothing 
of  that  sort,  —  but  because  they  wish  to  have  the  polity  which  prevails 
in  New  England  more  thoroughly  known,  and  understood,  and  practiced 
at  the  West    I  think  that  is  the  general  feeling  of  the  brethren  at  tfa« 
West    We  know  the  value  of  this  polity.    We  love  it,  because,  when 
we  lived  at  the  East,  we  lived  under  it    We  have  desired  to  take  it  with 
us  in  removing  out  to  the  West,  and  we  desire  to  have  it  presented  to 
the  Western  mind  as  free  as  possible  from  all  objections.     2^ow,  our 
difficulties  are  these.    In  the  first  place  there  are  multitudes  who  come 
from  the  East  to  the  West  who  do  not  understand  their  own  polity,— 
and  that  is  not  strange  when  we  find  facts  coming  to  our  notice,  in 
Connecticut  and  Massachusetts,  such  as  these.    When  I  was  a  lad,  I 
used  to  go  to  Stonington  sometimes  to  recreate.    There  is  a  Congrega- 
tional church  in  that  place,  but  the  people  all  supposed  they  had  a 
Presbyterian  church,  and  called  it  so.    They  talked  about  the  PresbyU-- 
rian  minister,  and  I  dare  say  they  talk  so  there  still.    I  nad  occasion, 
shortly  after  I  was  settled  in  Hartford,  to  exchange  with  a  good  brother 
in  West  Hartford.    I  went  into  the  pulpit  and  took  down  the  Bible,  aid 
saw  this  inscription  upon  it :    "  Presented  to  the  West  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Hartford,"  by  so-and-so.    Why,  the  brethren  in  Connecticut 
didn't  know  but  what  they  were  Presbyterians,  a  few  years  ago,  and 
some  of  them  haven't  found  out  to  the  contrary  yet,  we  have  reason 
to  fear.    [Laughter  and  applause.] 

Now,  sir,  when  material  of  this  kind  floats  out  West,  you  can  easily 
see  why  it  does  not  always  go  into  Congregational  churches,  and  why  it 
very  naturally  deposits  itself  in  Presbyterian  churches.  We  think  it 
desirable,  therefore,  that  there  should  emanate  from  this  body  some- 
thing that  should  be  for  the  instruction  of  the  East  as  well  as  of  the 
West  It  is  not  merely  a  boon  which  we  desire  for  our  own  people,  but 
we  desire  that  it  may  go  out  and  draw  the  attention  of  the  brethren,  min- 
isters, and  laymen  at  the  East,  to  the  Congregational  polity  and  its  ad- 
vantages, in  order  that  they  may  be  prepared  intelligently  to  adopt  it 
when  they  remove  to  the  West ;  and  of  course  still  more  do  we  need 
such  a  manual  for  the  instruction  of  the  churches  at  the  West,  composed 
of  very  heterogeneous  materials,  and  increasingly  so,  because  we  stand 
in  great  favor  at  the  West  Inquire  of  almost  any  denomination  in  the 
West,  and  they  will  tell  you  that,  next  to  their  own,  they  love  the  Con- 
gregational denomination,  and  that,  if  they  were  to  make  a  change, — 
and  some  of  them  intimate  that  perhaps  they  wiU,  —  the  change  would 
be  into  Congregationalism.    That  is  exceedingly  common  testimony. 


CHURCH    POLITY.  461 

Kow,  sir,  many  are  coming  to  us  from  all  quarters  in  the  laity  and  the 
ministry,  and  they  are  ignorant  of  our  usages,  and,  to  some  extent  of 
our  principles,  especially  of  the  great  second  principle  enunciated  by 
Dr.  Bacon,  that  of  the  communion  of  churches,  I  have  been  battling, 
ever  since  I  have  been  at  the  West,  this  principle  of  introducing  men  as 
acting  ministers  of  churches,  who  live  on,  year  after  year,  without  any 
ordination,  as  a  violation  of  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  Con- 
gregationalism. It  is  pure  Independency.  The  brethren  in  Chicago 
generally  share  these  views,  and  they  desire  that  some  document  shall 
go  out  to  instruct  our  brethren  throughout  the  "West  as  to  the  true 
doctrine  of  Congregationalism  on  this  point 

Prof.  E.  A.  Lawrence,  d.  d.,  of  Connecticut  I  think,  Mr.  Modera- 
tor, in  view  of  the  lucid  explanation,  —  I  may  say,  exhibition,  —  which 
has  been  given  us  this  morning  of  our  polity,  from  the  chairman  of  the 
committee,  there  are  a  good  many  who  feel,  as  is  suggested  by  my 
brother  on  the  left,  that  we  are  likely  to  "  save  our  JBocon,"  and  that  we 
must  have  our  Bacon  upon  the  committee  to  help  save  it     [Laughter.] 

The  principles  which  have  been  proclaimed,  namely, — first,  of  a 
church  distinct  from  Presbyterianism,  from  Episcopacy,  from  Roman- 
ism, is  a  fundamental  principle  ;  the  second  principle,  the  community  of 
churches,  is  equally  fundamental.  The  two  distinguish  between  what  is 
confounded  by  all  the  other  theoriies.  They  give  us  the  church  and  the 
churches  ;  they  give  us  independency  and  fellowship ;  they  give  us  a 
ministry  and  they  give  us  pastors  ;  and  from  these  principles  we  can 
never  depart  and  maintain  our  denominational  integrity.  We  can  never 
secede  from  them,  any  more  than  from  Plymouth  Rock,  where  we  stood  a 
day  or  two  since.  Our  whole  history  is  based  on  those  principles  ;  our 
councils  are  based  on  them  ;  our  experiences  are  identified  with  them. 
We  can  never  blot  out  Bunker  Hill.  We  can  take  down  that  monument, 
if  you  please,  but  we  cannot  erase  Bunker  Hill.  We  can  never  blot 
from  our  recent  history  the  names  of  Gettysburg  and  Richmond,  though 
those  places  themselves  might  be  destroyed  ;  they  are  wrought  into  our 
language.  So  these  principles,  and  the  history  they  throw  light  upon, 
have  become  part  of  our  existence  as  a  denomination.  I  therefore  wish 
to  indorse  the  proposition  that  the  old  committee  be  placed  upon  this 
new  one. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eldridge,  of  Connecticut  In  the  interesting  speech,  Mr. 
Moderator,  made  last  evening  by  Mr.  Quint,  our  attention  was  drawn, 
in  terms  of  deliberate  commendation,  to  an  article  contained  in  the  last 
number  of  the  "  Independent,"  written  by  the  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee to  whom  the  documents  on  polity  were  referred.  That  article  was 
spoken  of,  as  I  say,  in  terms  of  deliberate  and  strong  commendation. 
Having  great  respect  for  the  views  of  Mr.  Quint,  my  attention  was 
drawn  to  this  article,  and  I  found  in  it  the  following  statement :  —  "It 
has  mattered  little  that  the  Consociationism  of  Connecticut  has  striven 
for  long  years  to  extinguish  one  of  the  two  cardinal  principles  of 
Congregationalism  —  the  absolute  independence  of  the  local  church  in 
matters  pertaining  to  its  internal  afiairs." 


462  CHURCH    POLITY. 

I  was  entirely  content  to  say  nothing  upon  the  report,  most  able  and 
lucid,  of  Dr.  Bacon,  although  he  alluded  to  the  Consociation  system  of 
Connecticut  very  briefly,  yet  respectfully,  cautioning  the  Council  to  be 
on  their  guard  against  pushing  it  so  as  to  override,  in  any  way,  the 
fundamental  principles  of  Congregationalism  ;  and  I  do  not  rise  now 
with  any  purpose  of  propagandism,  but  simply  in  an  attitude  of  self- 
defense.  The  friends  of  that  system  are  charged  with  the  intention  of 
uprooting  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  Congregationalism.  Now 
if  there  is  any  man  in  Connecticut  who  is  exposed  to  that  charge,  I  am  that 
man.  I  have  been  working  that  system,  in  the  same  locality,  for  thirty- 
four  years,  and  I  am  the  oldest  pastor,  I  suppose,  in  the  State,  who  has 
been  located  there  and  on  the  same  ground  continuously.  I  have  too 
much  regard  to  my  own  comfort  to  be  very  easily  provoked,  and  there- 
fore I  do  not  avail  myself  of  every  opportunity  to  be  indignant,  when 
indignation  might  be  justifiable.  I  entertain,  also,  very  great  rej^pect 
for  the  chairman  of  the  committee.  He  is  one  of  tiiat  class  of  men  who 
see  very  clearly  objects  that  are  not  too  large  [Laughter],  and  who 
pursue,  with  great  energy  and  perseverance,  individual  objects,  not 
always  taking  into  sufficient  consideration  the  bearings  and  the  relations 
of  the  object.  I  impute  to  him  no  intention  of  injury,  and  I  rise  now 
not  to  vindicate  ConsociationLsm,  or  myself  as  one  of  its  representatives 
and  friends  in  Connecticut,  but  there  are  gentlemen  from  the  far  West 
for  whose  good  opinion  I  entertain  a  regard. 

A  Member.    Is  this  discussion  in  order  ? 

The  Moderator.    Perhaps  not,  strictly. 

Rev.  Mr.  Guli^iver,  of  Connecticut.  I  wish  to  say  that  I  shall  claim 
the  privilege  of  reply,  if  personal  attacks  are  to  be  made  on  me  on  this 
floor,  and  I  don't  know  how  long  that  will  take. 

Hev.  Dr.  Eldridge.    I  am  not  going  into  any  discussion. 

A  Member.  All  these  views  and  ideas  can  go  before  the  large 
committee  of  twenty-five. 

Hev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts.  I  hox)e  we  shall  not  choke  down 
Dr.  Eldridge  ;  he  has  not  opened  his  mouth  before. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eldridge.  I  am  entirely  at  your  disposal.  It  is  true  that 
I  have  not  opened  my  mouth  before,  but  I  will  close  it  now,  if  you  say 
so.  I  was  going  to  say  this  :  that  if  those  who  work  this  system  are  en- 
gaged in  overthrowing  or  uprooting  one  of  the  fundamental  principles 
of  Congregationalism,  they  are  engaged  in  it  innocently  and  unconscious- 
ly. We  are  not  desirous  of  being  despots,  and  wc  do  not  mean  to  be 
slaves. 

Now  I  will  state,  in  a  very  few  words,  just  how  the  thing  is,  that  those 
who  never  have  heard  anything  about  Consociationism,  except  in  terms 
of  reproach,  may  get  some  glimmering  idea  of  what  it  is.  The  churches 
within  a  certain  boundary,  say  twenty  in  number,  meet  together  and  form 
a  constitution  developing  the  very  principles  of  comity  that  are  supposed 
to  exist.  They  say,  "  There  may  bo  cases  in  churches  where  individ- 
uals shall  be  aggrieved;  there  occur  instances  where  churches  will  not 
permit  a  pastor  to  be  settled,  and  there  may  be  difficulties  occurring 


CHURCH   POUTY.  463 

among  the  churches  themselves.  Now,  we  agree,  whenever  any  such 
question  shall  arise  —  whenever  an  individual  or  a  church  shall  be 
aggrieved,  whenever  a  pastor  is  to  be  settled  or  dismissed,  whenever 
anything  of  that  kind  is  to  be  done, — we  agree  to  invest  this  Council 
with  power  to  act,  and  we  will  consider  it  invested  with  all  that  authority 
which  properly  belongs  to  a  council.  There  may  be,  in  some  of  these 
constitutions,  verbal  expressions  that  are  unadvised;  but  the  practical 
working  of  the  system  is,  that  we  do  by  this  organization,  say,  what 
councils  do  otherwheres. 

Now,  as  to  the  advantage  of  it  It  is  known;  it  is  permanent;  it  is 
responsible.  We  have  a  printed  constitution,  which  has  been  accepted 
by  every  church,  who  feel  bound  to  abide  by  it  until  it  is  chailged.  We 
keep  a  record  of  our  proceedings,  and  every  precedent  is  recorded;  and 
if  any  church  is  disposed  in  any  way  to  abuse  other  churches,  that  abuse 
is  recorded,  and  operates  as  a  principle  to  be  applied  to  them  in  return. 
The  effect  of  our  action  is  under  our  own  eyes;  we  see  it,  and  are 
responsible  to  the  community  for  it.  We  have  worked  that  system  for 
thirty-four  years  in  my  locality.  I  have  attended  more  than  two 
hundred  meetings  of  the  organization,  and  I  have  never  seen  oppression 
or  abuse.  There  have  been  many  mistakes,  doubtless,  as  there  will  be; 
l^ut  I  can  confidently  point  to  that  portion  of  the  state  as  comparing 
favorably  with  any  other  community  in  the  purity  of  its  ministers,  the 
intelligence,  piety,  and  liberality  (according  to  their  means  and  opportuni- 
ties), of  its  churches,  and  their  freedom  from  spiritual  and  doctrinal  errors. 

llev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut.  I  claim  the  privilege  of  reply- 
ing. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bliss,  of  Tennessee.  I  move  that  the  rules  be  suspended 
for  five  minutes,  to  hear  Mr.  Gulliver.    Carried. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver.  I  don't  propose  to  make  any  reply  to  the 
remarks  of  the  preceding  speaker,  for  I  don't  think  the  matter  of  im- 
portance enough,  although  I  entertain  the  very  highest  possible  respect 
for  Dr.  Eldridge,  as  he  very  well  knows.  I  take  the  floor  to  thank  you 
for  giving  me  the  opportunity  to  reply,  and  yield  it  to  Prof.  Park,  that 
he  may  submit  an  amendment  to  the  amendment  which  I  have  proposed, 
which  will  greatly  facilitate  the  business  before  us.    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Prof.  Park,  of  Massachusetts.  I  wish  to  propose,  as  an  amend- 
ment to  the  amendment,  the  following  resolution:  — 

Besolved^  That  this  Council  recognizes  as  distinctive  of  the  Congrega- 
tional polity  — 

First,  The  principle  thflt  the  local  or  Congregational  church  derives 
its  power  and  authority  directly  from  Christ,  and  is  not  subjected  to  any 
ecclesiastical  government  exterior  or  superior  to  itself. 

Second,  That  every  local  or  Congregational  church  is  bound  to  observe 
the  duties  of  mutual  respect  and  charity  which  are  included  in  the  com- 
munion of  churches  one  with  another;  and  that  every  church  which 
refuses  to  give  an  account  of  its  proceedings,  when  kindly  and  orderly 
desired  to  do  so  by  neighboring  churches,  violates  the  law  of  Christ. 


464  RAISING   THE    FUNDS. 

Third,  That  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  by  members  of  the  churches 
who  have  been  duly  called  and  set  apart  to  that  work  implies  in  itself  no 
power  of  government,  and  that  ministers  of  the  gospel  not  elected  to 
office  in  any  church  are  not  a  hierarchy,  nor  are  they  invested  with  any 
official  power  in  or  over  the  churches. 

I  would  simply  remark,  that  this  is  an  enlargement  of  the  first  reso- 
lution which  was  proposed  in  the  report. 

The  question  was  put,  and  the  amendment  carried  unani- 
mously.    The  report  was  then  adopted,  as  amended. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  in  behalf  of  the  Nominating  Conmiit- 
tee,  submitted  the  following  names  to  constitute  the 

COMMITTEE  ON  EDUCATION   AT  THE  WEST. 

Rev.  Edwards  A.  Park,  D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts,  Rev.  John  P.  Gulli- 
ver, of  Connecticut,  Rev.  William  De  Loss  Love,  of  Wisconsin. 

RAISLNTG  THE  FUNDS. 

Deacon  Samuel  Holmes,  of  New  York,  asked  and  obtained 
leave  to  offer  at  this  time,  from  the  Committee  on  Ways  and 
Means,  the  following  report  and  resolutions :  — 

The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  question,  "  By  what  means 
to  raise  8750,000  for  the  Evangelization  of  the  West  and  South  ?  "  beg 
leave  to  suggest,  that  the  sum  named,  as  it  can  not  be  reckoned  largt^ 
when  compared  with  the  grandeur  of  the  object  and  of  the  opportuiiity 
which  God  in  his  providence  has  set  before  us,  so  neither  is  to  be  regarded 
as  extravagant  in  comparison  with  the  ability  which  divine  mimii3cence 
has  bestowed  upon  us,  the  Congregational  churches  of  America. 

Were  we  standing  higher  upon  the  mount  of  vision  and  of  consecration, 
we  should  be  startled  not  at  the  greatness  but  at  the  littleness  of  our 
plans  for  answering  the  appeal  made  to  us  at  this  signal  moment  in  the 
history  of  our  nation. 

The  one  tl^ng  necessary  in  order  that  the  amount  named,  and  even 
more,  may  be  realized  the  ensuing  year,  and  from  year  to  year  here- 
after, is  that  the  benevolent  spirit  of  our  Master  be  more  fully  present 
in  the  churches,  and  that  we  be  prompted  to  exercise  broader  and  clearer 
views  of  the  work  to  be  done. 

It  will  be  understood  that  the  present  is  not  a  proposition  to  raise  for 
the  three  societies  a  special  fund  of  8750,000  over  and  above  their  ordi- 
nary receipts.  It  does  propose  to  double  the  annual  revenue  of  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society  and  that  of  the  American  Mis- 
sionary Association,  while  for  church  building  it  aims  to  do,' through  the 


RAISING   THE   FUNDS.  465 

American  Congregational  Union,  a  special  service,  plainly  demanded 
now,  and  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  likely  to  be  demanded  for  years  to 
come. 

We  esteem  it  a  fortunate  circumstance,  that  the  new  campaign  for 
Christ's  cause  finds  our  denomination  provided  with  the  three  distinct 
and  harmonious  agencies  that  correspond  to  the  three  departments  of 
labor  into  which  the  direct  work  of  evangelization  divides  itself —  an 
agency  to  assist  in  planting  and  sustaining  churches;  an  agency  to  secure 
the  building  of  houses  of  worship;  and  an  agency  to  care  for  the  comfort, 
education,  and  religious  well-being  of  the  lately  enslaved  blacks. 

We  desire  to  take  no  labor  off  from  these  societies,  but  rather  to  lay 
mare  upon  them,  and  encourage  them  to  put  more  upon  the  churches  in 
Christ's  name. 

In  accordance  with  these  views,  the  committee  recommend  to  the 
Council  the  passage  of  the  following  resolutions  :  — 

1.  Besolved,  That  each  of  the  several  benevolent  societies  named  in  the 
report  of  the  committee  on  the  Evangelization  of  the  West  and  South 
be  desired  and  enjoined  to  adopt  the  most  eflScient  means  in  its  power  to 
secure  the  sum  proposed,  as  its  quota  of  the  S750,000. 

2.  Besolved,  That,  regarding  this  as  the  most  significant  of  all  the 
practical  measures  that  have  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Council,  we 
do  hereby  pledge  ourselves  to  our  Father,  our  Saviour,  and  to  each  other, 
to  co-operate  with  the  secretaries  and  agents  of  the  societies  referred  to 
in  any  eftbrt  they  may  wisely  and  zealously  adopt 

3.  liesolved,  That  the  Council  recommend  to  the  American  Congrega- 
tional Union,  without  arresting  or  delaying  the  si^ecial  efforts  now  in 
progress  or  ready  to  be  put  forth  in  behalf  of  the  churches  needing  aid 
for  the  erection  of  houses  of  worship,  to  call  for  a  simultaneous  collection 
on  the  Sabbath  preceding  Forefathers'  Day,  December  17th,  when  every 
Congregational  church,  large  or  small,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
shall  contribute  what  it  can  towards  the  $200,000  for  church-building. 
Let  the  good  work  be  finished  in  a  day,  and  give  the  proper  punctuation 
to  this  memorable  meeting. 

4.  Resolved,  That  an  appeal  be  issued  from  the  Council,  and  placed,  so 
far  as  may  be,  in  the  hands  of  every  member  of  every  Congregational 
church  in  the  country — urging  the  duty  and  privilege  of  self-denying 
benevolence,  with  immediate  reference  to  the  object  contemplated  in  this 
paper. 

6.  Resolved,  That  we  undertake  this  work,  not  in  our  own  strength 
nor  for  our  own  glory,  but  with  humble  dependence  upon  Him  whose 
are  the  silver  and  the  gold  and  the  hearts  of  men;  and  in  humble  imita- 
tion of  Ilim  who  said,  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive,'^ — to 
Him  be  glory  by  the  church  throughout  all  ages. 

In  behalf  of  the  committee^ 

Samuel  Holmes,  Chairman, 

80 


466  CONSOaATIONISM. 

Bev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  We  are  prepared  to  adopt  those 
resolutions  without  debate. 

Rev.  Dr.  Holbrook,  of  New  York.  I  ask  that  the  question  be  taken 
by  a  rising  vote. 

Dea,  Samuel  Holmes,  of  New  York.  I  move  that  the  question  be 
taken  by  a  rising  vote,  to  be  followed  by  a  prayer  consecrating  our  vote, 
and  that  we  then  at  once  proceed  to  our  usual  prayer-meeting. 

Rev.  Mr.  Webb,  of  Massachusetts.  Shall  we  not  incorporate  tlii« 
idea, —  that  we  not  only  pledge  ourselves  to  our  Father,  and  our  Saviour 
who  has  redeemed  us,  but  to  each  other,  that  we  will  carry  out  to  the 
letter  this  recommendation  in  all  the  churches  throughout  the  land  ?  I 
make  that  motion. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

The  question  being  taken  upon  the  resolutions,  they  were 
adopted  nem.  con,  by  a  rising  vote ;  and  prayer  was  oflfered  by 
Rev.  Plavel  Bascom,  of  Illinois. 

devotional  exercises. 

The  Council  then  proceeded  to  the  usual  devotional  exercises, 
a  hymn  being  sung,  prayer  being  offered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Beecher, 
of  Illinois,  Rev.  George  Allen,  of  Massachusetts,  and  others,  and 
remarks  being  made  hy  Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  and  others. 

CONSOCIATIONISBI. 

Tlie  Council  having  resumed  the  consideration  of  the  report 
upon  Church  Polity, 

Rev.  Dr.  Field,  of  Connecticut,  moved  that  at  least  one  of 
the  members  of  the  committee  recommended  should  be  a  pastor 
of  a  consociated  church. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut.  I  object  very  much  to  that 
recognition  of  schools  among  us.  We  have  already  recognized  our  six 
theological  seminaries  in  the  resolutions  ;  and  a  distinguished  lawyer 
upon  this  floor  has  said  that  that  fact  would  convince  any  court  of  law 
in  the  country  that  every  possible  interest  was  represented.  If  we  begin 
by  recognizing  Consociationists,  we  must  go  on  and  recognize  Hopkins- 
ians,  and  Old  School  and  New  School  theologians.  I  should  deprecate 
it  very  much,  as  distinguishing  me  from  the  rest  of  my  brethren.  There 
is  no  disposition  to  crush  down  members  who  belong  to  the  consociated 
churches.  There  will  be  every  disposition  to  have  them  represented.  I 
hope  there  will  be  no  intimation  that  there  is  a  disposition  to  crush  them, 
for  it  does  not  exist 


REPORT   ON    WORSHIP.  467 


EEPOET  ON  WORSHIP. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  A.  P.  Marvin,  of  Massachusetts,  the  order 
of  business  was  suspended  to  enable  him  to  oflFer  a  report. 

Rev.  A.  P.  Marvin,  from  the  committee  on  Worship,  read 
the  following  report,  which  was  accepted  and  adopted : 

The  committee  to  whom  the  order  on  the  subject  of  Worship  was  re- 
ferred, having  given  it  what  attention  was  possible  in  the  short  time 
since  the  matter  was  referred  to  them,  respectfully  submit  the  following 
report : — 

To  avoid  all  misapprehension,  the  committee  would  begin  by  saying, 
that  the  subject  before  us  is  worship;  not  forms  of  worship,  nor  the 
order  of  service  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  but  simply  worship.  It  is  quite 
true  that  the  dividing  line  between  oiu:  denomination  and  some  other 
bodies  of  Christians  is  not  liturgical.  Congregationalists  might  have  a 
prescribed  order  of  service,  with  written  forms  of  prayer,  without  in- 
fringing any  of  their  peculiar  principles  ;  but  that  subject  is  not  now  be- 
fore us  ;  and  we  desire  to  say,  so  distinctly  as  not  to  be  misunderstood, 
that  we  do  not  wish  to  raise  any  agitation  in  regard  to  it  within  this  body. 
Our  mode  of  worship  is  well  established,  and  is  satisfactory  to  the  great 
mass  of  our  fellow- worshipers. 

The  point  to  which  we  call  especial  attention,  and  would  impress  with 
emphatic  earnestness,  is  this,  that  in  our  devotions,  both  public  and  pri- 
vate, we  should  bring  in  much  more  of  the  element  of  worship.  Prayer, 
as  generally  defined,  consists  of  several  parts,  as  invocation,  confession  of 
sin,  petition,  thanksgiving,  and  praise.  Any  one,  however,  who  gives  at- 
tention to  the  custom  in  our  public  and  private  devotions,  will  be  struck 
with  the  fact  that  the  larger  part  of  our  prayers  is  taken  up  with  peti- 
tions ;  confession  of  sin  comes  next  in  frequency  and  prominence  ;  thanks- 
giving is  not  entirely  forgotten  ;  but  praise,  worship,  adoration,  are  often 
entirely  omitted.  In  saying  this,  we  do  not  mean  to  intimate  that  we,  as 
a  denomination,  in  comparison  with  other  Christians,  are  deficient  in 
reverence  ;  but  that  there  is  a  general  want  of  the  element  of  worship 
which  we  share  in  common  with  others.  A  skeptical  philosopher  and 
statesman  in  a  former  generation  ridiculed  the  practice  of  worship  as  if  it 
consisted  in  flattering  the  Almighty  ;  and  we  have  heard  Christian  min- 
isters inquire,  in  the  same  strain,  why  we  should  tell  God  in  our  prayers 
how  old  he  is,  and  how  great.  This  error  comes  from  apparent  un famil- 
iarity with  the  practice  of  ancient  saints,  as  seen  in  the  Psalms  ;  and  also 
from  profound  ignorance  of  the  design  and  effect  of  worship.  The  Psalms 
of  David,  of  Asaph,  and  the  other  sacred  poets,  are  replete  with  the  spirit 
of  worship. 

In  commencing  their  service,  they  were  accustomed  to  say,  "  O  come 
let  us  worship  ;  let  us  bow  down  before  the  Lord  om-  Maker  I "...  "  Let 
us  enter  his  courts  with  thanksgiving,  and  his  gates  with  praise  I "  They 
thought  of  the  eternity,  the  self-existence,  the  power,  the  truthfulness,  the 


468  COXSOCIATIOXISM. 

justice,  the  mercy,  and  the  holiness  of  G^od,  until  their  hearts  were  full, 
and  then  their  feelings  burst  forth  in  the  highest  strains  of  adoration  and 
praise. 

Let  it  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  no  one  can  worship  Grod  unless 
his  soul  is  in  love  with  infinite  excellence;  and  that  in  proportion  as  his  love 
for  perfection  increases,  will  be  his  desire  to  render  unto  God  the  worship 
which  is  due.  And  in  the  act  of  worship  the  soul  is  enlarged  and  puri- 
fied. No  exercise  of  the  human  heart  is  so  elevating  and  improving  as 
that  of  meditating,  with  adoring  feelings,  upon  the  character  of  the 
ever-blessed  God.  As  we  study  him  in  his  works,  and  especially  in  his 
words,  as  revealed  in  his  perfect  laws,  we  are  "  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory." 

We  do  therefore  earnestly  call  upon  all  with  whom  the  proceedings  of 
this  Council  will  have  weight,  to  make  the  element  of  worship  more 
prominent  in  their  devotions,  both  in  public  and  private  religious  services. 
To  the  objection  that  the  endeavor  to  eflect  this  end  would  prolong  devo- 
tional exercises  to  an  undue  length,  we  would  reply,  that  prayers  are 
sometimes  tedious  because  they  have  not  the  variety  which  meets  all  the 
wants  of  the  devout  soul,  and  are  made  up  of  "  vain  repetitions  "  in  the 
form  of  petition  for  blessings.  It  is  believed  that  our  devotional  ser- 
vices, both  in  the  house  of  God,  in  social  meetings,  and  in  the  family, 
would  be  made  far  more  interesting  by  being  more  complete,  while  by 
the  same  means  they  would  be  rendered  more  acceptable  to  the  Hearer  of 
prayer.  Those  who  render  earnest  and  sincere  thanks  ft)r  divine  favors, 
will  thus  enforce  their  prayers  for  new  mercies  in  the  presence  of  the 
prayer-answering  God;  and  those  who,  by  high  and  holy  expressions  of 
adoration,  draw  near  to  the  great  white  throne,  will  be  thereby  fitted  to 
make  a  good  use  of  all  the  blessings  which  God  may  be  pleased  to 
bestow  upon  them.  Our  petitions  will  be  more  pleasing  to  our  heavenly 
Father  when  we  worship  him  in  the  "  beauty  of  holiness." 

A.  P.  Makvin, 
N.  H.  Egoleston, 
J.  L.  Jenkins. 

CONSOCIATIONISM. 

The  consideration  of  the  report  on  Church  Polity  was  re- 
sumed. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eldridge,  of  Connecticut  I  hope  that  the  amendment 
proposed  by  Dr.  Field  will  not  be  accepted.  I  have  no  disposition  at  all 
to  intrude  oonsociationism  upon  this  Council.  I  wish  to  leave  the  com- 
mittee entirely  untrammeled.  The  question  seemed  rather  to  be  drawn 
before  the  Council  by  the  reference  to  that  document  by  Mr.  Quint. 
We  are  entirely  satisfied  with  the  system.  We  are  not  afraid  of  its 
being  overturned,  and  have  no  disposition  to  propagate  it  against  any- 
body's wishes. 


C0NS0CIATI0NI8M.  469 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut  I  would  suggest  that  the  Pro- 
fessor from  East  Windsor  will  necessarily  be  from  a  consociated  church. 

The  motion  of  Dr.  Field  was  laid  upon  the  table. 

Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  of  Massachusetts.  No  one  perhaps  more  respects 
the  gentlemen  spoken  of  to  be  classified  in  the  committee,  as  professors, 
than  myself.  I  have  not  only  a  very  respectful  but  a  very  affectionate 
regard  for  them,  so  far  as  I  personally  know  them.  But  I  object  to  a 
class  of  men  being  taken  and  placed  upon  this  committee  as  a  class; 
and  particularly  upon  the  ground  that  has  been  verified  by  the  opinion 
of  an  unknown  but  distinguished  lawyer,  who  may  well  understand  the 
business  of  his  own  profession,  but  certainly  does  not  so  well  imderstand 
ours. 

And,  sir,  I  will  here  say,  that  the  greatest  diflSculty  that  has  arisen 
since  any  of  us  were  born,  in  regard  to  the  subject  of  Congregationalism, 
has  been  made  by  perhaps  the  most  distinguished  and  influential  pro- 
fessor of  theology  in  New  England,  if  not  in  the  country;  and  that  that 
individual  did  more,  in  the  course  of  thirty  years,  to  uncongregationalise 
and  Presbyterianise  Congregationalism,  than  any  other  man,  or  all  other 
men  in  New  England;  and  that  from  his  position  as  professor  of  the- 
ology in  an  institution  of  high  character,  and  from  his  own  celebrity, 
because  of  his  influence,  there  are  now  a  multitude  of  churches  in  this 
country  that  are  Presbyterian,  notwithstanding  he  was  a  professor 
of  theology  in  the  earliest  and  most  distinguished  theological  institution 
of  this  land.  I  would  add  that  there  are  men  in  this  body,  and  they  are 
numerous,  that  understand  that  subject  better  than  theological  professors, 
a  great  deal,  and  who  have  studied  it  with  great  care  and  know  its  bear- 
ings, better  far. 

The  amendment  by  Mr.  Gulliver  was  then  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts,  desired  that  the  mode  of 
appointing  the  committee  should  be  amended. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Gulliver,  the  adoption  of  the  amendment 
was  reconsidered  in  order  to  meet  Dr.  Eddy's  views. 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  that  the  committee 
be  appointed  by  the  Moderators  of  the  Coimcil  (the  Moderator 
and  First  Assistant  Moderator,  the  Second  Assistant  Moderator 
being  absent.) 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

The  amendment  of  Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver  was  adopted,  and  the 
report  as  amended  was  adopted. 

COLLEGIATE  AND  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 
Rov.  Seth  Sweetser,  d.  d.,  of  Massachusetts,  chairman  of  the 


470  COLLEGIATE   AND   MINISTERIAL  EDUCATIOlf. 

committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  paper  presented  by  the 
preliminary  Committee  on  Collegiate  and  Ministerial  Education, 
read  the  following  report :  — 

The  Committee  on  Collegiate  and  Ministerial  Education  respectfully 
recommend  that  the  resolution  submitted  to  them  in  reference  to  Col- 
legiate and  Theological  Institutions  at  the  West  be  referred  to  a  special 
committee. 

They  also  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  comprehensive,  clear,  and 
well-arranged  report  on  the  education  of  young  men  for  the  ministry 
presented  to  this  Council  by  the  committee  appointed  at  the  prelimi- 
nary meeting  to  consider  that  subject 

And  in  order  that  some  of  its  more  weighty  suggestions  may  be  dis- 
tinctly impressed,  and  be  carried  out  in  the  practical  application  they 
deserve,  the  committee  beg  leave  to  submit  to  the  Council  for  their 
adoption  the  following  statements  : 

1.  As  it  is  an  admitted  fact  that  in  the  providence  of  God  the  high 
religious  character,  the  Christian  energy,  the  sound  and  intelligent 
patriotism,  and  the  wide  and  salutary  influence  of  New  England  in  the 
past  have  depended  to  a  large  extent  upon  the  existence  and  continuous 
work  of  an  educated  and  devoted  ministry,  so  it  must  be  admitted,  that 
in  the  future  within  New  England  the  perpetuation  and  enlargement  of 
such  character  and  influence,  and  beyond  New  England  the  training  of 
communities  to  a  similar  character  and  influence,  depend,  and  will  ever 
depend,  upon  the  existence  and  continuous  work  of  a  ministry  in  like 
manner  devotedly  pious,  and  generously  educated. 

2.  Inasmuch  as  the  present  emergency  is  pressing,  and  the  condition 
of  the  West  and  South  imperatively  demands  immediate  attention,  it  is 
eminently  desirable  that  our  theological  seminaries  should  provide  for 
the  education  of  earnest-minded  and  vigorous  young  men,  whose  hearts 
are  in  the  Lord's  work,  by  arranging  a  course  of  instruction  not  requiring 
a  previous  collegiate  training,  in  order  that,  with  as  little  delay  as  prac- 
ticable, they  may  engage  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  many  thousands 
who  wait  for  it  in  our  land. 

3.  As  the  duty  of  consecration  to  the  spreading  of  Christ's  kingdom 
is  not  laid  exclusively  upon  those  who  minister  the  word,  and  as  it  is  not 
salutary  nor  right  that  those  who  go  into  the  warfare  equip  themselves 
at  their  own  charges,  the  obligation  should  be  recognized  by  all  members 
of  the  Church  of  our  Redeemer,  to  help  young  men  in  their  education 
for  the  ministry,  by  assistance  rendered  directly  to  individuals,  by  sup- 
plying ample  funds  to  education  societies,  and  by  generously  endowing 
Scholarships  in  colleges  and  theological  seminaries. 

4.  Notwithstanding  the  often  presented  discouraging  aspect  of  the 
Christian  ministry,  arising  from  an  alleged  insecurity  and  insuflaciency  of 
pecuniary  support,  young  men  of  the  requisite  ability  and  good  disposition 
should  be  encouraged  to  devote  themselves  to  preaching  the  gospel,  in 
the  checrfU  exercise  of  a  simple  faith  in  the  promise  of  our  Lord  Jesus 


COLLEGIATE  AND   MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  471 

Christ  to  his  messengers,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always  I "  trusting  with 
all  good  assurance  and  hope  in  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  that  all  necessaiy 
things  shall  be  added  unto  them. 

By  vote  of  the  committee, 

S.  SwEETSEB,  Chairman.  . 
June  23, 1865. 

Rev.  Dr.  Sweetser  proceeded  to  say :  I  was  instructed  by  the  com- 
mittee to  explain  why  so  brief  a  report  upon  so  great  a  topic,  is  pre- 
sented. It  is  done,  first,  because  some  of  the  special  points  brought  to 
view  in  the  report  submitted  to  the  committee  have  already  been  pre- 
sented in  other  reports,  and  acted  upon  ;  and,  secondly,  that  by  con- 
centrating attention  upon  a  few  special  points  of  vast  importance, 
those  points  may  be  impressed  more  vividly  upon  the  minds  of  this 
Council. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  committee,  this  is  one  of  the  fundamental  matters 
for  the  consideration  of  the  council.  We  have  passed,  with  great  una- 
nimity, and  with  expressions  of  gratitude  to  God,  votes  recommending  the 
raising  of  large  sums  of  money  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  our  nation  at  the 
present  time.  We  have  voted  to  advise  the  churches  to  pay  $300,000  into 
the  treasury  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  $250,000  to  aid  those 
who  shall  go  to  preach  to  and  instruct  the  freedmen,  and  $200,000  more  to 
build  churches.  But  where  are  the  men  who  are  to  receive  this  sum  in 
doing  the  service  of  the  church.  We  were  told  yesterday  that  we  needed 
a  thousand  men  to-day,  trained,  and  disciplined,  and  drilled,  for  what 
God  is  calling  upon  this  church  to  do.  The  report  of  your  commit- 
tee says  that  there  are  800  more  churches  than  there  are  men.  Where 
are  these  men  to  come  from,  and  how  are  they  to  be  furnished? 

Are  we  to  expect  our  young  men  to  prepare  themselves  for  the  work  of 
the  Lord  at  their  own  charges  ?  I  believe  the  whole  history  of  our  church 
shows  that  those  who  have  entered  into  the  sacred  office  have  come  in  a 
very  small  degree  from  families  well  supplied  with  wealth.  Experience 
seems  to  demonstrate  that  it  has  never  been  the  will  of  God  that  young 
men  nursed  in  luxury  and  abundance,  should  be  the  pioneer  men  in  doing 
God's  work.  We  have  now,  and  we  always  have  had  as  pioneers,  men  in 
moderate  circumstances  and  even  in  hard  necessity,  who  have  been  kept 
from  self-indulgence,  and  have  grown  up  under  the  teachings  of  necessity 
to  a  manhood  that  was  equal  to  the  demand  when  they  came  into  the  ser- 
vice. If  we  were  to-day  to  exclude  from  our  ministry  the  men  that  haVe 
been  helped  to  come  in,  and  if  we  were  to  exclude  from  our  missionary 
labors  the  men  that  have  had  help  from  the  churches,  we  should  erase 
from  our  record  the  best,  the  ablest,  the  most  devoted  and  most  energetic 
men  that  have  been  in  the  service  of  the  Lord  for  the  last  century. 

The  allotted  time  having  expired,  on  motion  Dr.  Sweetser 
was  invited  to  proceed. 


472  COLLEGIATE   AND    MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 

I  do  not  ask  this  for  myself ;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  a  subject  1^ 
ought  to  be  more  fully  considered.  Unless  there  is  something  done 
to  meet  the  necessity  of  bringing  men  forward,  what  wo  have  already 
done,  in  advising  the  raising  of  funds  to  carry  on  the  work,  will  be  in 
vain. 

The  beginning  of  the  struggle  is  in  the  preparatory  course.  I  submit 
to  this  Council  whether  it  is  good  economy,  to  say  nothing  more,  to  leave 
our  young  men  to  struggle  against  poverty,  and  against  debt,  while  they 
are  preparing  themselves  to  preach  the  gospel ;  to  waste  their  strength 
and  their  time  in  furnishing  themselves  with  the  means  of  living,  when 
they  ought  to  be  devoting  all  their  energy  of  mind  and  body  to  the  great 
work  of  preparation. 

When  Kapoleon  want^  to  reinforce  the  armies  of  France,  and  make 
them  superior  to  any  other  force  that  could  be  brought  against  them,  he 
laid  the  whole  kingdom  under  a  system  of  education,  holding  out  induce- 
ments to  young  men  of  energy  and  ability  to  go  into  the  army,  by  the 
payment  of  all  their  expenses  of  education ;  and  he  was  a  wise  man  in  all 
his  proceedings  in  that  direction. 

Our  churches  need  to  see  to  it  that  their  own  young  men  who  are  fit  to 
go  to  this  work,  shall  not  be  left  to  hesitate  because  they  can  not  see  their 
way  clear  through  this  process  of  education.  I  take  it,  that  it  is  the 
opinion  of  this  body  that  the  ministry,  as  a  general  thing,  rnust  be  edu- 
cated according  to  the  old  standard;  that  that  is  to  be  the  rule,  and  that 
the  partial  course  is  the  exception.  If  that  is  so,  we  must  make  a  strong 
effort  to  provide  the  means  to  keep  our  young  men  in  our  own  schools 
and  in  our  own  seminaries,  and  send  them  into  the  work  under  Congrega- 
tional influence.  Let  us  do  it  in  a  manly.  Christian  spirit,  coming  up  to 
the  demand,  under  the  full  conviction  of  the  greatness  of  the  necessity. 
Let  every  pastor  undertake  it  in  his  own  church,  that  means  shall  be  set  in 
operation,  at  once,  to  bring  this  great  question  before  our  young  men  in 
the  colleges  and  seminaries,  that  they  may  not  withhold  themselves  when 
God  is  calling  for  such  multitudes  to  go  and  enter  the  field  which  in  his 
providence  he  has  opened. 

I  want  to  say  a  word  more  —  I  am  aware  your  time  is  precious  —  in  re- 
gard to  the  principle  of  going  into  the  ministry,  which  is  embraced  in  that 
last  statement  We  have  heard  over  and  over  again,  that  there  are  great 
discouragements  to  young  men,  because  their  salaries  are  so  stinted,  and 
their  means  of  support  are  so  uncertain.  I  wish  it  were  in  the  heart  of  this 
Council  to  put  that  obstacle  for  ever  out  of  sight,  and  that  we  might  ask 
our  young  men  to  go  into  the  ministry  from  a  higher  motive;  that  they 
should  imderstand  that  the  question  is  not  whether  they  shall  have  a 
large  salary,  and  a  conspicuous  position,  and  an  honorable  place.  I 
submit,  sir,  if  every  place  where  a  man  can  serve  Christ  is  not  an  honor- 
able place.  And  I  submit  whether  the  promise  of  Christ  to  be  with  us 
always  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world,  is  not  sufficient  security  for  any 
young  man,  if  he  is  called  of  God  to  go  into  his  service.  As  I  have  heard 
again  and  again  these  appeals  made,  I  have  almost  wished  that  I  could 


COLLEGIATE    AND   MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  473 

be  a  young  man,  —  that  I  could  again  to-day,  as  a  young  man,  buckle  on 
the  armor  and  go  into  this  warfare.  I  would  not  ask  any  man  to  insure 
me  a  support.  I  do  not  believe  there  is  the  slightest  danger  of  any  faith- 
ful servant  of  Jesus  Christ  suffering  want,  so  long  as  he  is  faithful  to  the 
word  which  he  is  called  to  proclaim.  [Applause.]  I  do  not  believe  the 
history  of  our  churches  shows  an  instance  in  which  a  man,  who,  in 
the  simplicity  of  his  heart,  with  an  earnest  faith,  and  with  fidelity,  did 
the  work  that  God  gave  hidi  to  do,  has  been  left  to  suffer;  and  all  coming 
time  will  not  show  an  instance.  Our  young  men  ought  to  be  delivered 
from  this  slavery  to  the  money  question. 

I  do  not  mean  to  exonerate  the  churches.  It  has  been  settled,  by  high 
authority,  that  the  servant  is  worthy  of  his  hire.  We  do  not  want  to  un- 
settle that  principle  ;  but  that  is  another  question  to  be  pressed  in  another 
quarter.  What  I  desire  to  say  here  to  our  young  men  is,  if  Christ  calls, 
do  not  you  hesitate.  The  note  of  some  of  our  merchant  princes  is  re- 
liable ;  but  I  submit  that  the  promise  of  Christ,  *'  I  am  with  you  al- 
ways," is  a  better  pledge.  I  would  go  into  the  work  with  no  other 
promise,  if,  in  the  promise  of  God  that  was  the  only  promise  I  could  get 
I  want  our  young  men  to  feel  that  that  is  the  way  to  settle  the  question, 
and  to  come  to  the  work  of  the  Lord  with  the  feeling  that  we  are  not  to 
be  paid  for  it.  We  are  not  paid.  I  never  thought  that  I  was  paid  for  my 
services.  I  should  be  ashamed  of  myself  if  I  should  hesitate  for  one 
moment  to  do  the  work  God  calls  upon  me  to  do,  because  in  a  commercial 
point  of  view,  and  according  to  the  standard  by  which  men  of  the  world 
are  paid,  I  am  not  paid.  I  do  not  ask  my  people  to  pay  me.  I  want 
them  to  give  me  a  support.  There  is  a  promise  for  us  all,  "  Trust  in  the 
Lord  and  do  good  ;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land.  Verily  thou  shalt  be 
fed."  Brethren,  bread  and  water  are  sure.  "  The  earth  is  the  Lord's 
and  the  fullness  thereof."  God  has  messengers,  and  God  has  servants, 
and  he  will  take  out  of  his  own  abundance,  and  will  feed  any  man  that  in 
his  work  is  in  necessity.  I  hope  that  a  voice  will  go  out  from  this  Coun- 
cil to  all  our  colleges,  and  all  our  seminaries,  to  set  aside  the  question  of 
place  and  salaries  and  honor,  and  to  act  upon  the  question,  "  Does  the 
Lord  call  me  ? "  And  let  him  who  heari^  the  voice  of  the  Lord  call- 
ing him,  in  all  joyfulness  and  hope  say,  "  Here,  Lord,  am  I,  —  send 


me." 


SYSTEMATIZING    BENEVOLENCE. 


On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Gushing,  the  orders  of  the  day  were 
suspended  to  enable  him,  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Stearns,  to 
report  certain  verbal  alterations  to  be  made  in  the  report  of 
the  committee  on  Systematizing  Benevolence.  Rev.  Mr.  Gush- 
ing then  read  the  proposed  changes. 

Kev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut  It  is  not  in  the  power  of  this  body 
to  alter  a  report  which  has  been  submitted  to  it  and  subscribed  by  a 


474  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 

committee,  any  more  than  to  alter  a  note  of  hand,  nnless  they  adopt  it 
as  their  own. 

Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  of  Ne^r  York.  I  think  that  view  is  correct ;  but  I 
have  no  doubt  the  committee  will  assent  to  its  modification.  I  move 
that  it  be  recommitted. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

After  consideration  by  the  committee,  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer,  in 
their  behalf,  reported  that  the  committee  preferred  the  state- 
ment as  it  stood,  but  consented  to  the  alteration. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio, 

The  name  of  the  "  American  Congregational  Association," 
which  had  been  inadvertently  omitted,  was  added. 

The  report  as  amended  was  then  adopted.^ 

APPEAL  TO  THE  CHURCHES. 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois,  moved  that  an  appeal  be  issued 
by  this  Council,  and  placed,  so  far  as  possible,  in  the  hands  of 
every  church  member  in  the  country ;  and  that  a  special  com- 
mittee be  appohited  to  prepare  and  issue  tliis  appeal. 

This  motion  was  agreed  to. 

MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 

Tlie  Council  resumed  the  consideration  of  Rev.  Dr.  Sweetser's 
report  on  Collegiate  and  Ministerial  Education. 

Rev.  Dr.  LEAvm,  of  New  York.  I  think  that  this  report  touches 
the  marrow  of  the  case  in  regard  to  the  future  progress  of  Congrega- 
tionalism. We  are  told  that  we  want  eight  hundred  ministers  now,  with 
our  present  extension ;  and  we  are  told  that  we  must  exhort  young  men 
to  disregard  the  question  of  support,  and  trust  to  Providence.  That  is 
very  good  doctrine.  I  remember  seeing  a  picture  in  the  window  of  a 
shoemaker ^8  shop,  of  a  customer  trying  on  a  boot ;  and  while  he  is  groan- 
ing with  pain  the  shoemaker  very  politely  and  earnestly  assures  him  that 
it  is  not  possible  for  that  boot  to  hurt  his  feet  But  the  man  who  had 
the  boot  on  knew  whei;^  it  pinched ;  and  I  think  there  are  a  good  many 
ministers  who  know  where  the  shoe  pinches. 

I  do  not  think  the  report  of  the  committee  has  touched  the  core  of 
the  difficulty  after  all,  that  ministers  suffer  for  the  want  of  sufficient  sup- 
port   There  is  a  keener  suffering  which  educated  and  generous  men  are 

1  As  on  pp.  410-412. 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION.  475 

capable  of  feeling,  and  which  drives  men  away  from  the  ministry.  If 
you  want  to  increase  the  number  of  ministers,  you  must  call  off  your 
dogs  from  them.  John  Newton,  after  he  had  graduated  in  a  slave-ship, 
felt  the  necessity  laid  upon  him  of  going  ifato  the  ministry,  and  took 
orders  in  the  Established  Church  of  England,  although  his  sympathies 
were  all  with  the  Congregationalists;  and  he  says  in  a  letter  which  is  in 
print,  that  he  did  it  for  the  sake  of  enjoying  freedom.  I  have  known  valu- 
able and  earnest  ministers  to  go  into  other  denominations,  —  Methodists, 
Baptists,  Presbyterians,  and  Episcopalians, — for  the  sake  of  enjoying 
freedom ;  —  freedom  to  worship  God,  and  freedom  to  preach  his  gospel 
and  administer  his  ordinances  in  the  way  they  thought  conformable  to 
the  will  of  Christ.  We  must  enlarge  our  charity  and  treat  ministers  as 
they  deserve.  We  must  respect  them  as  ministers;  and  not,  when  any 
one  steps  over  his  line,  hunt  him  down  as  with  hounds. 


REGARDING    FINAX    ADJOURNMENT. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  in  behalf  of  the  Business  Committee,  desired  the  Con- 
vention to  decide  whether  they  would  adjourn  to-day,  or  on  some  day 
next  week.  If  the  Convention  considered  it  necessary  to  adjourn  to-day, 
the  remaining  papers  might  be  read,  and  the  business  concluded,  by 
extending  the  session  to  half-past  two  o'clock,  unless  the  time  should  be 
occupied  by  debate. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  moved  that  the  business  be  fin- 
ished by  half-past  two  o'clock,  the  session  being  extended  until 
that  time,  and  that  then  the  Council  adjourn  without  day. 

The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION. 

The  Council  resumed  the  consideration  of  Dr.  Sweetser's 
report. 

Rev.  Prof.  FiSK,  of  Dhnois.  I  dislike  to  take  a  moment  of  the  time 
of  the  Council  at  this  late  day;  but  it  is  the  first  time  I  have  opened  my 
mouth  here.  I  ara-delighted  with  the  report,  as  able  as  it  is  brief;  and  I  am 
also  greatly  pleased  with  the  remarks  of  the  chairman  of  the  committee. 
I  wish  now  to  comment  upon  one  or  two  points  which  have  been  brought 
up  in  that  admirable  report 

First,  let  me  say  in  regard  to  the  short  course,  I  am  a  convert  to  the 
opinion  expressed  in  the  report  When  I  was  appointed  Professor  of 
Rhetoric  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Chicago,  eight  years  ago,  I 
hesitated  for  nearly  a  year;  and  one  great  reason  was  because  of  the 
special  course  which  was  marked  out  for  certain  young  men  who  had 


476  MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 

not  had  a  collegiate  education.  I  beg  to  say  that  my  views  have  under- 
gone an  entire  change  in  this  respect;  and  that  some  of  oiir  ablest  and 
best  young  men,  —  yes,  some  young  men  on  this  floor  to-day  that  yea 
only  know  to  honor  and  to  love  —  arc  men  who  have  been  through  the 
three  years'  special  course  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Chicaga  I 
shall  not  trespass  upon  the  proprieties  of  the  occasion  if  I  mention  a 
young  man  upon  this  floor  now,  who  came,  a  carpenter,  from  Iowa,  sent 
to  us  by  brother  Guernsey,  and  went  through  our  course.  AVhen  offered 
$1600  to  stay  in  Chicago,  he  said,  "  I  came  from  Iowa,  and  I  go  back  to 
Iowa  to  labor  there  among  those  brethren;  "  and  he  went  back  with  a 
salary  of  S400,  and  was  sent  by  the  churches  there  to  represent  them 
before  you.    Such  cases  are  not  rare  with  us. 

If  you  take  the  railroad  at  Chicago  and  pass  through  those  magnificent 
empires  opened  to  Christian  civilization,  and  see  what  a  moral  waste  lies 
around  us,  and  what  need  there  is  of  Christian  missionaries  to  go  on  the 
front  tide  of  emigration,  swelling  on  over  rock  and  mountain;  if  you 
look  South  and  get  some  apprehension  of  the  great  needs  there ;  you  will 
see  how  much  we  need  men.  No  tongue  can  tell,  no  pen  can  describe 
it  properly.  We  have  sent  out  forty  men  from  our  seminary  in  five 
years.  If  we  had  had  five  hundred,  we  could  have  sent  them  out.  One 
missionary  agent  said  to  me,  "  I  will  take  all  you  have  got  for  one  State.'' 
And  we  have  seven  States  centering  upon  us  and  turning  to  us. 

Much  as  we  need  men,  we  need,  more  than  all,  the  men  who  have  the 
spirit  of  Christ,  and  are  willing  to  go  where  they  are  sent.     I  have 
received  sixty  letters  within  the  last  two  months  from  people  at  the 
East.   One  man  says,  "  I  have  married  into  a  very  intelligent  family,  and 
I  have  a  very  delicate  wife,  and  I  must  have  a  refined  circle  into  which 
to  introduce  her."    Another  says,  "  I  have  a  poor  constitution,  and  I 
fear  the  fever  and  ague."    Another  wants  to  be  upon  a  railroad.     I  always 
send  back  to  these  men,  kindly,  "  We  have  room  enough,  but  we  have 
not  room  for    you.    Much  as  we  want  men,  what  we  want  is  men 
who  will  go  anywhere,  do  anything,  sleep  in  an  upper  chamber,  or  on 
the  ground  like  our  brave  men  who  went  South  to  defend  the  country; 
and  we  want  no  man  west  of  the  Hudson  River,  who  is  not  willing  to  go 
anywhere  that  he  can,  and  to  live  as  his  Master  did,  who  did  not  seek  for 
places  where  there  was  no  fever  and  ague.    We  take  all  the  men  you 
can  send  us  of  that  kind."    We  want  to  raise  up  such  men.     We  want 
such  men  as  tho  brother  who  came  out  there,  and  who  said  to  me,  "  I 
have  sold  my  homestead  to  pay  the  funeral  expenses  of  my  wife;  but  I 
bless  God  for  putting  me  into  the  ministry."    If  we  tjan  get  such  men, 
we  shall  have  men  enough  to  do  the  work.    [At  this  point  the  allotted 
time  expired.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Gaylord,  of  New  Hampshire.  I  find  nowhere  in  the  report 
beyond  a  brief  passing  allusion  to  the  consecration  by  parents  of  lieir 
children  to  the  ministry.  I  move  to  add,  on  the  fifteenth  page  of  the 
preliminary  report,  near  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  line,  the  words,  "  and 
a  deeper  and  more  general  consecration,  on  the  part  of  Christian 
parents,  of  their  children  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry."    I  believe 


AMERICAN    PROTESTANT   ASSEMBLY.  477 

this  is  one  of  the  most  important  things  in  connection  with  this  whole 
subject.  When  Christian  parents  realize  the  duty, of  consecrating  their 
children  specially  to  the  ministry,  we  shall  have  attained  one  of  the 
conditions  of  this  important  work. 

A  member  inquired  whether  the  report  could  be  amended. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gaylord,  of  Nebraska.  The  report  of  Dr.  Sweetser,  as 
I  understand,  recommends  the  adoption  of. this  preliminary  report,  con- 
sequently I  understand  it  to  be  competent  for  the  Council  now  to  amend 
the  report  of  the  preliminary  conmaittee. 

The  amendment  was  agreed  to. 

The  report  was  then  adopted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  on  behalf  of  the  Business  Committee, 
reported  the  following  resolution,  submitted  by  Rev.  J.  A. 
Thome,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio  :  —  i 

Eesolved,  That  for  the  supply  and  proper  training  of  a  ministry  ade- 
quate to  the  wants  of  the  West  and  the  South,  and  for  the  spiritual  prep- 
aration of  the  Lord's  people  East  and  North  to  respond  suitably  in 
money,  measures,  and  men,  to  the  calls  of  Providence  to  enter  and  occupy 
the  land  which  late  events  have  opened  to  our  faith  and  polity  and  evan- 
gelical enterprise,  and  to  plant  churches  among,  and  furnish  all  requisite 
means  of  grace  to,  the  freed  people  and  the  inhabitants  generally  of  the 
South,  Revivals  of  Religion  in  our  colleges  and  theological  seminaries, 
and  throughout  our  churches,  Sabbath  schools  and  families,  leading  to 
the  renewed  Consecration  of  the  wealth  and  the  youth  of  our  Zion  to  the 
Redeemer,  are  now  the  pre-eminent  necessity  : 

And  that  this  Council  does  conjure  the  pastors  and  churches  of  our  or- 
der, from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  to  employ  promptly,  and  in  faith, 
the  measures  they  may  deem  most  eflicient,  under  God,  in  promoting  a 
general  and  genuine  refreshing  from  on  high. 

And  would  God  this  work  of  grace  might  begin  at  this  Jerusalem. 

The  resolution  was  adopted. 


AMERICAN    PROTESTANT    ASSEMBLY. 

Rev.  Dr.  Taylor,  of  Connecticut,  on  behalf  of  the  Commit- 
tee on  the  American  Protestant  Assembly,  read  the  following 
report : 

The  papers  brought  before  this  body  in  reference  to  a  Protestant  As- 
sembly, and  referred  to  a  special  committee,  emanated  from  two  sources 
having  the  same  general  object  in  view.  The  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  which  recently  held  a  convention  in  the  city  of  Philadel- 


478  AMEBICAN   FBOTESTANT   ASSEMBLY. 

phia,  regarding  the  signs  of  the  times  as  indicating  greater  harmoDj 
among  brethren,  recommended  that  measures  be  taken  for  securing  a 
concert  of  action  on  the  part  of  all  Protestant  denominations,  to  resist 
the  encroachments  of  infidelity,  in  its  varied  phases  of  bold  opposition  to 
the  gospel ;  as  well  as  to  promote  harmony  and  love  among  those  who 
belong  to  the  household  of  faith.  The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  which  held  its .  late  session  in  the  city  of  Pittsburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, had  a  more  definite  form  given  to  the  subject  in  the  foUowiug 
resolutions,  which  were  presented  for  its  consideration  :  — 

Besolved,  That  the  wide-spread  infiuence  of  infidelity,  in  its  varied 
phases  of  bold  atheism  and  rationalistic  philosophy,  which  is  now  putting 
forth  redoubled  energies  for  its  dissemination  throughout  every  section  of 
our  land,  calls  for  the  prompt  and  united  action  of  evangelical  Chris- 
tians, in  a  clear,  honest,  and  uncompromising  enunciation  of  the  great 
cardinal  doctrines  of  grace,  and  a  bold  defense  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus. 

Besolved,  That  in  the  providence  of  Grod  we  believe  that  a  solemn  re- 
sponsibility is  now  laid  upon  the  Church  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
this  country  to  manifest  her  loyalty  to  the  Great  King,  by  maintaining 
inviolate  and  steadfast,  both  by  the  enunciation  of  the  pulpit  and  the 
issues  of  the  press,  the  great  principles  of  the  gospel,  which  are  designed 
to  elevate  the  cross,  establish  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  ultimately  over- 
throw the  whole  system  of  error. 

Besolved,  That  the  fearful  growth  of  the  Papacy,  both  as  an  ecclesiasti- 
cal and  ci\al  power  in  this  land,  is  well  calculated  to  awaken  the  fears  and 
arouse  the  mightiest  energies  of  the  entire  Protestant  community,  and 
calls  imperiously  for  the  adoption  of  measures  at  once  timely  and  ade- 
quate to  the  emergency,  so  that  we  may,  under  the  divine  blessing,  be 
enabled  to  counteract  the  secret  and  malign  influence  of  the  man  of  sin, 
and  present  an  unbroken  front  of  the  army  of  truth  against  this  system 
of  corruption  which  is  hourly  girding  itself  for  the  approaching  conflict 

Besolved^  That  it  is  our  candid  judgment  that  the  present  is  an  auspi- 
cious moment  to  inaugurate  such  a  measure,  and  that,  while  we  would  not 
presume  to  dictate,  we  would  most  respectfully  request  the  General  As- 
sembly of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  now  in  session  in  this  city  (Pitts- 
burg), to  put  forth  a  suitable  deliverance  upon  these  important  subjects, 
and  to  take  steps  to  have  such  action  concurred  in  by  other  branches  of 
our  American  Protestant  Church,  so  as  to  bring  about  the  formation  of  a 
great  national  Protestant  league,  which,  by  its  constitution,  shall  be  fully 
up  to  the  urgent  demands  and  necessities  of  the  times. 

Besolved,  That  a  committee  of  four  ministers  and  three  laymen  be  ap- 
pointed by  tills  meeting  to  present  this  subject  to  the  Greneral  Assembly, 
and  to  be  associated  with  a  similar  committee  to  be  appointed  by  that 
body  in  devising  plans  by  which  a  general  and  concerted  movement  of  all 
the  Protestant  force  in  the  land  may  be  brought  about,  and  bold,  contin- 
uous, and  vigorous  protest,  by  word  and  act,  shall  be  enunciated  against 


TEMPERANCE   AND   TOBACCO.     »  479 

both  infidelity  and  Boman  Catholicism,  the  arch-enemies  of  truth  in  the 
midst  of  the  professing  Church  of  God,  and  arch-traitors  to  civil  and  re- 
ligious freedom  throughout  the  world* 

These  resolutions  elicited  the  warm  approval  of  the  Assembly  to  that 
degree  that  they  appointed  a  large  committee  to  carry  out  the  spirit  of 
them  in  co-operation  with  committees  which  may  be,  or  have  been,  ap- 
pointed by  other  denominations  for  a  like  purpose.  The  subject  has 
been  urged  also  on  the  attention  of  this  body,  by  private  letters  enti- 
tling it  to  serious  consideration.  Your  committee,  therefore,  recom- 
mend the  passage  of  the  following  resolution  by  this  Congregational 
Council : — 

Eesolved,  That  a  committee,  consisting  of  five  clergymen  and  an  equal 
number  of  laymen,  be  appointed,  to  act  in  concert  with  other  committees 
similarly  appointed  by  other  evangelical  denominations,  for  the  purpose 
of  giving  expression  to  our  desire  for  more  outward  fellowship,  and 
more  vigorous  co-operation  for  the  defense  of  Protestant  Christianity 
against  the  encroachments  of  Boman  Catholicism  and  infidelity  in  our 
land. 

For  the  Committee, 

Jebemiah  Tatlob,  Chairman. 
The  report  was  adopted. 

TEMPEBANCE  AND   TOBACCO. 

Rev.  Dr.  Blodgett,  on  behalf  of  the  committee  on  Temper- 
ance, read  the  following  report :  — 

The  special  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  subject  of  temper- 
ance, under  the  form  of  an  inquiry,  "  whether  any,  and,  if  so,  what  de- 
liverance should  be  made  on  the  subject  by  the  National  Council,"  make 
the  following  report :  — 

It  is  eminently  fitting  that  the  Council  send  forth  to  the  nation  a  dis- 
tinct and  solemn  testimony  in  favor  of  the  principles  of  temperance. 
The  subject  is  too  tenderly  associated  with  the  labors  and  "  blessed  mem- 
ory "  of  many  of  the  fathers  in  our  ministry  who  gave  to  it  their  labors 
and  their  prayers  ;  and  it  too  deeply  concerns  the  interests  of  morality 
and  religion  for  the  present  and  for  the  future  of  our  blood-bought  coun- 
try to  allow  us  to  refrain  from  giving  it  an  open  and  hearty  indorsement. 

Intemperance  is  a  sin  against  God,  a  curse  to  society,  a  foe  to  the 
purity  of  the  Church  and  its  ministry,  a  corruption  of  the  young,  a  hin- 
drance to  the  profitable  hearing  of  the  word  of  God,  and  so  to  the  conver- 
sion and  salvation  of  men.  Under  various  pretenses  of  health  and  hos- 
pitality, and  by  various  influences  of  appetite  and  gain,  and  those  growing 
out  of  the  late  war  with  rebellion,  drinking  usages  are  widely  prevailing, 


480  TEMPERANCE    AND   TOBACCO. 

to  the  danger  of  all,  and  to  the  deMruction  of  many  of  our  young  men,  the 
late  defenders,  and  the  future  hope,  of  our  country. 

That  the  alarming  progress  of  the  evil  may  be  arrested,  and  our  coun- 
try saved  from  a  more  disastrous  doom  than  that  in  which  the  late  rebel- 
lion threatened  to  involve  it,  in  the  name  of  humanity,  patriotism,  moral- 
ity, and  religion,  yea,  in  the  name  of  God,  we  earnestly  invite  the  co-op- 
eration of  ministers  and  Christians,  of  teachers  in  our  schools,  of  officers 
in  our  colleges,  of  our  legislators  and  our  ministers  of  justice,  of  our  physi- 
cians and  lawyers,  and  of  our  rulers  in  all  departments  of  government,  that 
our  nation  may  be  saved  from  the  dangers  which  impend  from  the  in- 
creasing prevalence  of  intemperance. 

We  would  give  the  trumpet  that  certain  sound  which  such  men  as  Ly- 
man Beec^her  and  Justin  Edwards  gave,  when  the  nation  was  aroused 
from  its  guilty  slumber,  and  marshaled  under  God  for  that  great  moral 
battle,  in  which  the  friends  of  temperance  so  signally  triumphed. 

The  committee  submit  for  the  adoption  of  the  Council  the  following 
resolutions,  namely  : 

1.  Besolved,  That  this  Council  hails  with  satisfaction  and  gratitude  to 
God  the  renewal  of  temperance  efforts,  in  a  Christian  spirit,  and  on  the 
scriptural  principle  of  self-denial  for  personal  safety  and  the  good  of  ofhers, 
efforts  long  successfully  urged  by  wise  and  good  men  in  our  own  minis- 
try and  churches,  and  in  the  ministry  and  churches  of  other  denomina- 
tions ;  and  that  we  regard  the  family,  the  Sunday  school,  the  Church  and 
the  congregation,  and  above  all  the  ministry,  as  the  fitting  channels  of 
influence,  on  this  as  on  all  other  great  moral  questions. 

2.  Besolved,  That  while  we  accept  with  thankfulness  the  aid  of  legis- 
lation, in  the  conflict  with  intemperance,  we  must  still  rely  mainly  upon 
moral  and  spiritual  appliances  for  progress  and  final  triumph  ;  and  that 
we  hold  the  temperance  enterprise  thus  prosecuted  to  be  just  07ie  method 
of  that  home  evangelization  in  which  this  Council  is  so  deeply  and  so 
properly  engaged,  and  that,  too,  a  method  indispensable  to  the  complete 
success  of  that  divine  work  of  evangelization. 

3.  Besolved,  That,  while  we  acknowledge  with  great  satisfaction  the  emi- 
nent services  of  many  of  the  medical  profession  in  the  cause  of  temper- 
ance, we  hold  it  to  be  matter  of  regret  that  such  numbers  prescribe  in- 
toxicating beverages  for  convalescent  and  other  patients  :  and  we  would 
earnestly  inquire  if  the  superior  science  and  wisdom  of  the  profession 
can  not  find  substitutes  for  such  inebriating  tonics,  the  use  of  which  will 
be  attended  with  less  peril  to  those  who  are  under  the  power  of  an  incipi- 
ent or  confirmed  api^etite  for  intoxicating  drinks. 

4.  Besolved,  That  we  receive  with  satisfaction  the  invitation  to  send  a 
delegation  to  the  National  Temperance  Convention  to  be  holden  at  Sara- 
toga, Kew  York,  August  1st,  1865  ;  and  that  we  respond  to  that  invita- 
tion by  appointing  six  delegates,  headed  by  our  respected  Moderator,  to 
that  convention,  with  the  desire  to  add  the  testimony  of  this  national 


TEMPERANCE    AND   TOBACCO.  481 

body  to  that  of  the  many  State  and  local  bodies  to  be  represented  in  that 
convention, 

(Signed)  C.  Blodgett, 

Z.  S.  Babstow, 
William  Thurston, 
Lorenzo  D.  Dana, 
'  C.  A.  Stackpole, 
J.  Collie. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  of  Connecticut,  moved  to  amend  the  resolutions  by 
striking  out  the  words,  "  in  the  form  and  to  the  extent  of  prohibition," 
and  said  :  I  think  it  will  be  unfortunate,  and  to  an  extent  disastrous, 
to  commit  this  Council  to  that  particular  style  of  legislation  ;  for  it  is  my 
most  solemn  conviction,  which  I  utter  here  knowing  that  it  will  cost  me 
something,  that  the  temperance  cause  was  wrecked  on  the  rock  of  the 
Maine  law  ;  that  the  quackery  of  such  legislation  has  been  the  ruin  of  the 
cause,  from  which  it  can  not  be  rescued  until  we  cut  ourselves  clear 
of  the  whole  scheme  of  legislating  alcohol  out  of  the  creation  of  God. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut.  I  hope  we  shall  retain  that 
word.  We  have  all  made  up  our  minds  upon  it,  and  I  hope  we  shall 
have  a  deliberate  vote  upon  it.  « 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  I  am  ready  to  vote  for  it,  not  because  I 
am  opposed  to  prohibition,  but  because  the  omission  will  strengthen  the 
sentence. 

The  amendment  was  agreed  to, 

Mr.  Williams  of  Flushing,  New  York,  said:  I  have  been  a  very 
interested  spectator  of  these  proceedings  for  the  last  ten  days,  but  have 
not  let  my  voice  be  heard  before.  I  do  it  now  with  diffidence;  but  I  feel 
constrained  to  move  to  add  the  following  resolution; 

Besolved,  That  this  Council  while  it  bears  its  solemn  testimony  against 
the  evil  of  intemperance,  would  also  bear  its  testimony  against  its  twin 
vice,  the  unproper  use  of  tobacco,  particularly  by  ministers  and  church- 
members. 

Rev.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts,  raised  the  question  of  order,  that 
the  resolution  should  come  through  the  Business  Committee. 

Rev.  Dr.  Blodgett,  of  Rhode  Island.  Certain  resolutions  upon  the 
subject  of  the  use  of  tobacco  were  referred  to  the  committee.  The  com- 
mittee agreed  that  these  papers  belonged  to  a  different  category,  and  did 
not  think  it  within  their  province  to  ask  for  any  action  respecting  them. 
We  had  already  prepared  our  report  upon  the  subject  of  temperance. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio.  I  should  probably  vote  for  the  amend- 
ment; but  I  know  it  would  lead  to  a  long  discussion,  for  there  are  mem- 
bers here  who  would  speak  at  length  against  it.  And  therefore,  with  no 
unfriendUness  to  the  object  of  the  mover,  I  move  to  lay  the  amendment 
upon  the  table. 

The  motion  to  lay  upon  the  table  was  rejected. 

81 


482  TEMPERANCE    AND   TOBACCO. 

Rev.  Mr.  Webb,  of  Massachusetts.  It  will  kUl  the  whole  thing  if  we 
load  it  down  in  this  way.  If  one  member  objects  to  tobacco,  another 
will  object  to  tea  and  coffee,  and  another  to  something  else,  and  the 
whole  will  be  defeated.  That  is  my  reason  for  voting  against  the 
amendment. 

Rev.  Dr.  Blodgett,  of  Jlhode  Island.  I  think  the  committee  were 
unanimous  in  the  judgment  that  we  should  not  indulge  in  the  use  of  nar- 
cotics ;  but  we  were  of  one  mind  that  it  would  be  unwise  to  marrv  this 
special  reform  to  the  great  temperance  question  ;  and  it  was  certain 
tliat  I  would  not  be  the  instrument  of  marrying  the  two  in  this  Coun- 
cil; and  I  ask  the  Council  not  to  compel  me  to  stand  in  that  attitude. 

Rev.  Mr.  Qui'xt,  of  Massachusetts.  So  far  as  the  resolution  goes,  it 
meets  my  views  precisely,  and  I  should  be,  under  proper  circumstances, 
ready  to  vote  for  it.  But  I  do  not  think  it  is  a  proper  question  to  be 
brought  before  the  National  Council  of  Congregational  Churches. 

Furthermore,  this  Council  has  four  times  summarily  put  out  of  the 
way  such  resolutions,  when  they  were  fully  represented.  It  would 
hardly  be  proper  to  have  it  now  passed  upon  in  a  very  thin  house,  sud- 
denly sprung  in  this  way  at  the  close  of  our  session.  These  are  my  rea- 
sons for  voting  against  this  j^articular  resolution.  The  other  three  I 
sliould  have  voted  against  upon  principle,  because  they  were  wrong. 
This  one  is  not;  it  is  right,  so  far  as  it  goes  ;  but  I  do  not  think  it  is 
right  to  adopt  it  in  this  way. 

The  amendment  was  rejected. 

Rev.  Mr.  Webb,  of  Massachusetts.  There  is  an  expression  in  the  res- 
olution that  I  should  be  glad  to  see  stricken  out,  that  we  hold  temper- 
ance to  be  one  of  the  methods  of  home  evangelization.  We  gain  notliing 
by  identifying  temperance  with  religion,  and  making  one  seem  the  other. 
I  hope  the  question  whether  it  is  home  evangelization  or  not,  will  be 
left  for  us  to  decide  individually.  I  move  that  that  clause  be  stricken 
out 

Rev.  Dr.  Eddy,  of  Massachusetts.  I  hope  that  will  not  pass,  because 
moral  reform  is  a  part  of  home  evangelization.  I  do  not  want  to  divorce 
temperance  from  religion.  I  think  they  have  been  married  by  God 
himself,  and  ought  not  to  be  put  asunder. 

Rev.  Mr.  Webb,  of  Massachusetts.  Temperance  is  the  fruit  of  evan- 
gelization, but  it  is  not  itself  evangelization.  You  may  make  a  man 
temperate,  and  yet  he  may  go  to  hell  if  you  can  not  make  him  pious,  too. 

The  amendment  was  rejected. 

Mr.  Thurston,  of  Massachusetts,  moved  to  amend  by  striking 
out  everything  relating  to  legislation ;  for  if  we  can  not  have 
prohibitory  legislation  it  is  better  not  to  have  any,  and  not  to 
have  legislation  for  licenses. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  suggested  that  the  amendment  was 


TEMPERANCE   AND   TOBACCO.  483 

unneceosary;  that  the  resolution  referred  to  the  "aid"  of  legislation, 
which  could  not  mean  legislation  against  temperance,  and  which  did  not 
exclude  prohibition. 

Rev.  Dr.  Blodgett,  of  Khode  Island,  said  that  the  cause  had  received 
great  aid  from  legislation  in  times  past,  and  that  it  was  proper  to  ac- 
knowledge, under  God,  although  we  might  not  rely  upon  it  for  the 
future. 

Gov.  Buckingham  (Mr.  Hammond  in  the  chair),  said:  "  I  beg  leave 
to  say  one  thing  on  the  question  of  legislation  on  the  subject  of  temper- 
ance. I  believe  we  want  all  the  aid  we  can  secure  from  any  and  every 
proper  source  to  aid  in  the  cause  of  temperance.  There  are  men  to  be 
restrained  by  persuasion;  there  are  other  men  to  be  held  in  check  by 
positive  legislation.  [Applause.]  We  want  both.  I  do  not  ask  and  I 
would  not  have  an  amendment  in  that  report  requiring  prohibition ;  but  I 
do  ask  that  there  shall  be  nothing  stricken  out  to  show  that  this  Council 
are  ready  to  reject  all  the  co-operating  influences  of  legislation.  The 
best  comment  that  I  have  known  upon  the  prohibitory  law  has  been 
before  this  nation  within  the  past  few  days.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  being 
in  Washington  during  the  great  review,  and  having  been  there  forty- 
eight  hours,  and  seen  those  streets  thronged  with  tens  of  thousands  of 
men,  women,  and  children,  and  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand soldiers,  I  saw  not  one  intoxicated  —  not  one.  [Applause.]  That 
was  under  the  power  of  the  military  law,  for  every  grogshop  and  every 
bar  was  closed  by  military  authority.  But  no  sooner  was  that  military 
authority  removed,  no  sooner  were  those  grogshops  and  those  bars 
opened  again,  than  there  was  a  scene  of  confusion  and  rioting  which 
required  military  force  for  its  suppression;  and  in  order  to  prevent 
disorder  in  the  city  of  Washington,  orders  were  again  issued  by  military 
authority  that  those  places  should  be  closed  from  seven  o'clock  at  night 
until  seven  in  the  morning.  Then  again  peace  and  order  were  restored. 
In  view  of  these  facts,  I  ask  that  this  Council  shall  not  utter  a  word  that 
shall  prevent  proper  legislation  upon  this  subject.  I  do  not  ask  for  a 
prohibitory  law.  Let  men  judge  as  circumstances  may  determine. 
[Applause.] 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut  I  am  persuaded  that  this 
Council  did  not  properly  measure  the  consequences  of  the  vote  passed 
just  now,  striking  out  the  clause  relating  to  "prohibition."  I  think  if 
that  clause  had  never  been  put  in,  it  would  have  been  a  very  different 
matter.  But  we  have  delibeijately  excluded  that  clause,  upon  the  ground 
stated  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bacon,  that  he  believed  that  prohibition  had 
killed  the  cause.    We  have,  in  a  degree,  indorsed  that  opinion. 

Several  Members.    No,  no. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut  I  think  we  have  ;  and  I  think 
a  great  many  will  so  understand  it  I  appeal  to  some  gentleman  in  the 
majority  to  move  a  reconsideration  of  that  vote,  that  we  may  not  even 
appear  upon  the  record  as  opposed  to  a  prohibitory  law. 

Rev.  Mr.  Webb,  of  Massachusetts.  For  the  gratification  of  the  gen- 
tleman, I  move  a  reconsideration,  although  I  shall  certainly  vote  against 


484  LINCOLN   COLLEGE. 

it    Whatever  reason  Dr.  Bacon  may  have  assigned  for  his  motion,  we 
adopted  it  upon  our  own  deliberate  judgment 

The  motion  to  reconsider  was  rejected. 

Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut  I  am  afraid  we  are  doing  some- 
thing rash  in  adopting  that  part  of  the  report  pertaining  to  medicines. 
Does  not  that  imply  that,  in  our  judgment,  intoxicatinfi:  drinks  are  not  to 
be  given  to  convalescent  persons  ? 

Several  Members.    No,  no. 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  adopted. 

LINCOLN  COLLEGE. 

Rev.  Prof.  Park,  from  the  committee  on  Collegiate  and  Theo- 
logical Education,  reported  the  following  resolutions  :  — 

Resolved^  That  in  order  to  the  raising  up  of  an  educated  ministry 
for  the  supply  of  the  churches  of  the  new  States,  now  becoming  filled  by 
the* advancing  tide  of  population,  and  to  meet  the  large  demands  of  those 
States  which  recent  events  have  opened  to  Christian  influence,  it  is  a 
fundamental  necessity  that  well-endowed  and  well-manned  collegiate 
and  theological  institutions  should  be  established,  and  that,  too,  in  the 
best  positions. 

Besolved,  That  the  society  for  the  Promotion  of  CoUegiato  and  The- 
ological Education  at  the  West  —  in  rendering  efficient  aid  to  fourteen 
Collegiate  and  Theological  Institutions,  scattered  from  Eastern  Ohio  to 
the  Pacific  coast,  so  placing  them  on  sure  foundations,  and  in  so  man- 
aging this  whole  subject,  as  at  once  to  have  saved  the  churches  from 
annoyance,  and  to  have  given  a  wise  direction  to  their  charities  —  has 
accomplished  a  work  of  great  and  enduring  benefit,  which  this  Council 
recognize  w^ith  gratitude  to  God,  by  whose  help  it  has  been  wrought 

Resolved,  That  in  view  of  the  great  work  remaining  to  be  done, 
both  at  the  West,  and  in  the  South,  and  the  admirable  adaptation  of  this 
society  to  the  accomplishmen'1;  of  it  with  the  least  possible  friction  and 
expense  —  this  Council  do  heartily  commend  it  to  the  increased  confidence 
and  larger  liberality  of  the  churches  represented  here. 

RESOLUTION  ON  LINCOLN  COLLEGE. 

Whereas  our  brethren  in  Kansas  are  laying  the  foundations  of  a 
Congregational  College,  which  shall,  on  the  field  of  its  early  victory,  be 
a  monument  of  the  triumph  of  freedom  over  slavery  ;  a  memorial  of  that 
Christian  emancipator,  whose  name  it  bears ;  a  source  of  ministerial 
supply  for  the  Missouri  valley  and  the  regions  beyond :  Therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  comment  the  enterprise  to  the  confidence,  sym- 
pathy and  liberal  support  of  all  friends  of  New  England  principles  and 
polity,  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  and  of  home  evangelization  ;  and  yet 


COMMITTEES.  485 

that  their  appeal  to  the  public  be  only  through  and  in  accordance  with 
the  rules  of  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Collegiate  and  Theo- 
logical Education  at  the  West 

Rev.  Dr.  Sturtevant,  of  Illinois,  moved  to  strike  out  the  last 
resolution,  upon  the  ground  that  the  Council  should  not  make 
discriminations  among  the  various  institutions  in  the  West  that 
are  claiming  aid. 

Rev.  Prof  Park  explained  that  the  friends  of  Lincoln  College  desired 
the  passage  of  the  resolution  because  another  college  had  been  organ- 
ized, bearing  the  same  name,  and  founded  upon  no  religious  principles. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bodwell,  of  Kansas.  Our  object  is  not  to  place  ourselves 
in  an  invidious  position  with  reference  to  other  colleges  ;  but  there  is  a 
movement  to  establish  another  college  upon  an  unchristian  basis,  to 
bear  the  name  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  We  think  that  Kansas  is  as  good  a 
place  to  build  that  monument  as  anywhere  else.  It  is  there  that  the 
first  blood  was  shed  ;  it  is  there  that  the  conflict  commenced.  You  talk 
of  your  Massachusetts  martyrs  who  fell  in  the  streets  of  Baltimore.  The 
grass  was  growing  upon  the  graves  of  our  martyrs  before  they  fell.  We 
have  sent,  too,  the  most  men  into  the  army  of  the  Union  in  proportion 
to  our  numbers.  We  think  we  are  entitled  above  all  other  places  to 
build  a  monument  to  Mr.  Lincoln.  We  took  this  name  before  it  became 
a  power,  before  the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  and  we  think  Providence  has 
indicated  that  we  are  to  build  that  monument  We  want  this  indorse- 
ment, not  to  aid  us  in  going  before  the  churches,  but  to  avoid  being 
forestalled  by  another  monument  that  from  its  greater  nearness  to  the 
centers  of  wealth  might  overshadow  ours.  We  are  small,  weak,  and 
unknown.  We  wish,  therefore,  to  place  the  name  of  our  institution  upon 
the  records  of  this  body,  so  that  any  attempt  to  forestall  our  movement 
may  be  suppressed. 

The  amendment  was  withdrawn,  and  the  report  was  adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  from  the  committee  on  Nominations, 

reported  the  following  committees ;  and  the  report  was  adopted. 

Delegates  to  Temperance  Convention,  —  Hon.  William  A.  Buckingham, 
of  Connecticut;  Hon.  Edward  D.  Holton,  of  Wisconsin;  Dea.  Charles 
A.  Stackpole,  of  Maine;  Rev.  Henry  M.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts. 

On  the  Special  Fund,— ^ 'Rev,  Edwin  B.  Webb,  of  Massachusetts; 
Rev.  Thomas  P.  Field,  d.  d.,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  John  C.  Holbrook, 
of  New  York;  Rev.  George  S.  F.  Savage,  of  Illinois;  Rev.  Richard 
Hall,  of  Minnesota. 

Oi  the  American  Protestant  Assembly,  —  Rev.  JeVemiali  Taylor,  d.  d., 
of  Connecticut;  David  S.  Williams,  of  New  York;  Rev.  William  Car- 
ter, of  Illinois;  Hon.  Edward  D.  Holton,  of  Wisconsin;  Rev.  John 


486  PABOCHIAL   EVANGEUZATION. 

Patchin,  of  Michigan  ;  Richard  J.  Patterson,  M.  D.,  of  Iowa  ;  Ber. 
Charles  Shedd,  of  Minnesota;  Rev.  Ezra  Byington,  of  Vermont;  Dea. 
Sampson  W.  Buflnm,  of  New  Hampshire;  Dea.  Jacob  BlaDchard,  of 
Maine. 

COMMITTEE  ON  STATEMENT  OF  CHURCH  POLITY. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  the  special  committee  appointed  to 
nominate  a  committee  on  Church  Polity,  reported  the  follow- 
ing: 

Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  D.  D.,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  Alonzo  H.  Quint,  of 
Massachusetts;  Rev.  Henry  M.  Storrs,  D.  D.,  of  Ohio;  Rev.  Edwards 
A.  Park,  D.  d.,  of  Massachusetts;  Rev.  Samuel  Harris,  D.  D.,  of  Maine; 
Rev.  Samuel  C.  Bartlett,  d.  d.,  of  Illinois;  Rev.  George  P.  Fisher,  of 
Connecticut;  Rev.  James  H.  Fairchild,  of  Ohio;  Rev.  John  P.Gulliver, 
of  Connecticut;  Rev.  Benjamin  Labaree,  D.  D.,  of  Vermont;  Kev.  Mark 
Hopkins,  D.  D.,  of  Massachusetts  ;  Rev.  William  Barrows,  of  Mas- 
sachusetts; Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  D.  D.,  of  Illinois;  Rev.  Truman 
M.  Post,  D.  D.,  of  Missouri;  Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  D.  D.,  of  Illinois; 
Rev.  William  Salter,  D.  D.,  of  Iowa;  Rev.  James  S.  Hoyt.  of  Michigan; 
Rev.  David  Burt,  of  Minnesota;  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  of 
New  York;  Hon.  Woodbury  Davis,  of  Maine;  Hon.  Henry  Stookbridge, 
of  Marj^land;  Hon.  John  H.  Brock  way,  of  Connecticut;  Rev.  Nathaniel 
A.  Hyde,  of  Indiana;  Rev.  Leonard  Swain,  D.  D.,  of  Rhode  Island;  Rev. 
Richard  Cordley,  of  Kansas;  Asahel  Finch,  of  Wisconsin;  Warren 
Currier,  Esq.,  of  Missouri;  and, 

On  motion.  Rev.   Rufus  Anderson,  D.  d.,  of  Massachusetts^ 
was  added  to  represent  the  missionary  cause. 
The  report  was  adopted. 

PAROCHIAL  EVANGELIZATION. 

Rev.  Mr.  Robinson,  of  Massachusetts,  on  behalf  of  the  com- 
mittee on  Parochial  Evangelization,  presented  the  following  re- 
port: 

The  committee,  to  whom  was  submitted  the  paper  on  Parochial  Evan- 
gelization, presented  to  the  Council,  would  respectfully  report. 

The  relation  which  the  work  of  Parochial  Evangelization  bears  to 
other  objects  of  Christian  enterprise  will  be  obvious  at  a  glance.  It  is 
preliminary,  and,  as  a  condition  of  ultimate  success,  indispensable. 
How,  for  instance,  can  the  great  work  of  evangelization  at  the  West  and 
South,  which  has  occupied  so  large  a  portion  of  the  time  of  this  Council, 
be  carried  on,  unless  our  home  communities  are  pervaded  and  permeated 
by  the  spirit  of  the  gospel  ?  How  are  foreign  missions  to  be  sustained, 
if  heathenism  is  intrenched  on  our  own  shores  ?    Whence  are  to  come 


PAROCHIAL   EVANGELIZATION.  487 

the  future  ministers  and  missionaries  of  the  cross,  if  there  are  no  Chris- 
tian homes,  and  young  men  consecrated  from  their  infancy  to  Christ  and  the 
church  ?  How  are  collegiate  and  theological  institutions  to  be  estab- 
lished and  endowed,  unless  the  wealth  of  the  land  is  in  the  hands  of  men, 
who,  having  first  given  themselves  to  God,  acknowledge  his  claim  upon 
all  that  they  possess  ?  How  are  the  treasuries  of  our  various  benevolent 
societies  to  be  supplied,  if  there  are  no  springs  of  piety  and  Christian 
sympathy  to  feed  the  channels  of  benevolence,  and  swell  the  streams  that 
make  glad  the  city  of  our  God  ?  We  do  not  say  that  no  foreign  work  is 
to  be  done  until  the  whole  home  field  is  cultivated,  and  made  as  the  gar- 
den of  the  Lord,— that,  until  our  own  parishes  are  thoroughly  evangelized, 
the  heathen  must  be  left  to  perish;  but  what  hope  can  we  have  of  final 
success  in  converting  the  world  to  XDhrist,  unless  his  kingdom  be  estab- 
lished in  the  hearts  and  homes  of  our  own  people  ?  The  stream  will  not 
rise  above  the  fountain.  The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  must  somewhere  be 
grown  before  they  can  be  transplanted  and  propagated.  What  advan- 
tage will  it  be  to  build  new  churches  at  the  West  and  South  if  the  churches 
of  New  England  are  to  die  out  and  disappear  ?  Why  plant  a  Christian 
empire  in  the  heart  of  Asia  or  Africa  with  a  heathen  population  at  our 
very  doors  ?  Let  not  the  church,  "  who  is  the  mother  of  us  all,"  ever  be 
obliged  to  say,  "  They  made  me  the  keeper  of  the  vineyards,  but  mine 
own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept." 

Your  committee  are  more  and  more  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
this  work.  They  have  carefully  examined  and  considered  the  report 
submitted  to  their  inspection.  Thoy  indorse  substantially  the  recom- 
mendations appended  at  the  close,  and  commend  the  report  as  a  whole  to 
the  earnest  and  prayerful  consideration  of  the  churches  represented  in 
Council. 

The  committee  do  not  feel  called  upon  to  discuss  anew  the  general 
subject;  this  is  not  necessary.  But  there  are  certain  fundamental  truths 
or  principles  brought  to  view  in  the  report,  to  which  they  would  call 
special  attention,  that  it  may  be  understood  what  is  the  precise  work, 
and  what  substantially  are  the  measures,  to  which  the  Council  virtually 
pledge  themselves,  should  the  report  in  question  be  adopted. 

1.  The  Church  in  its  Design, 

The  church  is  a  brotherhood  of  believers,  united  in  the  bonds  of  Chris- 
tian fellowship,  for  the  upbuilding  of  Christ's  kingdom  among  them- 
selves and  throughout  the  world.  In  its  very  nature  and  design,  the 
church  is  aggressive;  nor  will  it  have  done  its  work  until  every  man, 
woman,  and  child  is  brought  under  the  power  of  the  gospel. 

2.  Tfie  Parochial  Belations  of  the  Church, 

Every  local  church  is  the  center  of  a  parish,  more  or  less  extended,  as 
the  case  may  be.  Geographical  limits  can  not  always  be  assigned,  nor  is 
it  necessary  that  they  should  be.  Two  or  more  parishes  may  come  within 
the  same  bounds,  and  cover  much  the  same  ground.  The  parish  of 
each  church  consists  of  all  the  families  not  belonging  to  other  congre- 
gations within  its  reach.  For  the  evangelization  of  these,  it  is  held  of 
God  responsible.    There  may  be  outlying  districts,  neglected  neigh- 


N 


488  PAROCHIAL    EVANGELIZATIOX. 

borhoods,  on  the  borders  of  towns  and  yfllages.  These  also  are  to  be 
cared  for.  In  some  way,  by  systematic  visitation,  by  neighborhood 
prayer-meetings  and  occasional  preaching  services,  by  mission  Sabbath 
schools  and  the  distribution  of  religious  books  and  tracts,  by  the  dr- 
culation  of  the  Scriptures  and  the  employment  perhaps  of  Bible-readen, 
the  people  of  such  outlying  neighborhoods  are  to  be  made  acquainted 
with  the  truths  of  the  gospeL  And  these  movements  are  to  be  under 
the  supervision  of  the  church;  not  spasmodic,  but  steady;  not  philan- 
thropic simply,  but  Christian;  the  forth-putting,  on  the  part  of  the 
church,  of  its  activity  and  power.  All  effort  in  the  work  of  parochial 
evangelization  that  is  not  connected  with  the  local  church,  and  does  not 
bring  the  evangelized  masses  within  the  fold,  and  under  the  watch  and 
care  of  the  church,  will  prove  futile. 

3.  Church  Accommodations  and  Worship, 

Ample  accommodations  are  to  be  provided  for  all  who  are  disposed, 
or  who  can  be  persuaded,  to  attend  upon  the  services  of  the  sanctuaiy. 
The  style  of  church  architecture  should  be  such  as  to  bring  the  pew 
sittings  within  the  reach  of  the  poorer  classes.  The  sanctuary  should  be 
made  attractive  also,  not  by  costly  embellishment,  but  by  a  clear  and 
winning  exhibition  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  There  is  no  such  power 
to  sway  the  hearts  of  men  as  is  found  in  the  simple  preaching  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  cross.  In  "the  service  of  song  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord,"  it  is  the  duty  and  privilege  of  all,  so  far  as  they  may,  to  partici- 
pate. There  is  devotion  in  such  singing  more  than  in  the  performances 
of  a  few  hired  singers.  The  Scriptures,  whether  read  or  chanted,  should 
have  prominent  place  in  any  church  service;  while  the  offering  of  prayer 
should  be,  not  a  prescribed  form,  but  the  free  out-breathing  of  a  soul  in 
habitual  communion  with  God.  With  such  a  service,  however  humble 
the  structure  in  which  it  was  held,  the  people  would  be  drawn  to  the 
house  of  God,  and  they  who  came  to  scoff,  perhaps,  remain  to  pray. 

4.  The  Duty  of  Ministers. 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  minister  of  Christ  to  explain  to  his  people  the 
nature  and  methods  of  this  work  of  parochial  evangelization,  and  to  direct 
them  in  it.  He  is  himself,  so  far  as  health  and  other  circumstances  may 
allow,  to  take  the  initiative.  Like  his  divine  Lord,  he  is  to  seek,  as  well 
as  to  attempt  to  save,  the  lost.  In  going  forth  to  the  remoter  sections 
of  his  parish,  and  preaching  the  gospel  from  house  to  house,  in  the 
patient  endurance  of  toil  and  hardship  and  self-denial  in  this  blessed 
work,  he  is  to  be  an  ensample  to  the  flock.  More  especially  is  he  to  lay 
upon  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  people  to  whom  he  ministers  the 
responsibility  that  properly  devolves  upon  them.  He  is  to  make  them 
see  and  feel  that  they  have  something  to  do;  that  they  were  called  into 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  to  labor,  and  not  to  rest.  He  is  to  guide  them, 
teach  them,  show  them  how  they  may  be  useful.  He  is  to  inspire  them, 
to  animate  them,  with  his  own  spirit  of  self-denial,  and  devotion  to  the 
Master^s  cause.  If  he  is  not  equal  to  this,  he  is  not  fit  for  his  place. 
"  Behold,"  says  the  prophet,  "  I  have  given  him  for  a  witness  to  the 
people,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people."    And  sach  should  every 


PAROCHIAL  EVANGEUZATION.  489 

minister  of  Christ  be  among  the  people  of  his  charge, — a  leader  as  well 
as  a  witness. 

5.  Lay  Preaching, 

The  duty  of  laymen,  in  their  own  way  and  sphere,  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ,  is  now  acknowledged.  All  are  to  spread  the  glad  tidings. 
A  personal  responsibility  rests  upon  every  member  of  the  church  to 
engage  in  this  work.  Ministers  are  no  more  called  of  God  to  win 
souls  to  Christ  than  laymen.  "  Let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come."  One 
may  preach  in  the  pulpit,  and  the  other  just  as  really,  and  perhaps 
more  persuasively,  in  his  warehouse  or  workshop.  "  Lord,  what  wilt 
thou  have  me  to  do? "  is  the  question  which  every  professed  disciple  of 
Christ  should  raise  from  day  to  day.  '"  Where  can  I  be  most  useful  ?  " 
**  How  can  I  most  honor  him  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me  ?  " 
The  church  is  supposed  to  be  a  body  of  workers,  not  of  drones.  "  We, 
then,  as  workers  together  with  him,"  says  Paul.  If  any  man  will  not 
work,  neither  shall  he  eat  of  that  spiritual  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven.  The  question  has  been  raised,  whether  the  time  has  not  come 
for  setting  apart  an  order  of  lay  evangelists.  And  this  matter  is  cer- 
tainly worthy  of  consideration.  Let  no  man  run  before  he  is  sent;  but 
when  he  is  sent  of  Grod,  then  let  him  not  stay. 

6.  Special  Efforts  for  the  Young, 

Eflbrts  are  to  be  made  for  the  conversion  of  all,  but  more  especially 
for  the  children  and  youth.  They  are  the  hope  of  the  flock.  Let  them 
be  gathered,  one  and  all,  into  the  Sabbath  school,  under  competent 
teachers,  "  wise  to  win  souls  to  Christ."  Let  the  old  system  of  cate- 
chetical instruction  be  revived,  or  some  substitute  be  found,  which  shall 
be  equally  crowned  and  blessed  of  God.  Let  more  prominence  be  given 
to  the  rite  and  doctrine  of  infant  baptism.  Let  Christian  parents  be 
instructed  as  to  their  duty  and  privilege  in  this  particular,  until  they 
shall  come  to  see  the  preciousness  of  covenant  blessings,  proffered  to 
them  and  their  seed  after  them.  Let  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  be  turned 
unto  the  children,  and  the  heartB  of  the  children  unto  the  fathers,  that 
the  curse  may  be  averted,  and  the  pains  and  penalties  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment be  converted  into  the  promises  of  the  New.  Children  should  be 
brought  to  the  house  of  God  also.  The  Sabbath  school  is  no  proper 
substitute  for  the  regular  church  service  any  more  than  for  household 
religious  instruction.  Sermons  to  children  should  be  preached  occasion- 
ally, and  other  means  devised  to  instruct  them  in  the  truth  and  the 
gospel.    He  who  said,  "  Feed  my  sheep,"  said  also,  "  Feed  my  lambs." 

7.  Hie  Home  Prayer- Meeting, 

The  committee  attach  great  importance  to  this.  The  object  of  the 
meeting  should  be  to  devise  ways  and  means  for  reaching  the  neglected 
classes  of  the  community;  those  who  live  under  the  very  eaves  of  the 
sanctuary,  and  yet  have  never  been  persuaded  to  enter.  Prayer  should 
be  offered  with  special  reference  to  this  object  Reports  should  be 
received  from  visiting  committees,  tract  distributers,  Bible  readers, 
when  such  have  been  appointed.  The  pastor  should  give  some  account 
of  hla  labors,  of  the  encouragements  he  has  met,  and  the  discourage- 


490  PAROCHIAL   EVANGELIZATION. 

ments  and  obstacles  with  which  he  has  to  contend.  The  main  point 
should  be,  not  so  much  to  make  the  meeting  interesting  as  nscfuL  Then 
it  will  prove  both  interesting  and  useful;  a  meeting  which  the  churches 
will  not  be  willing  to  forego. 

8.  The  Social  Element  in  the  Church. 

How  can  we  make  the  most  of  the  social  influence  and  power  of  tha 
church  ?  is  a  most  important  inquiry.  There  is  felt  to  be  a  want  in  all 
our  churches,  —  a  want  of  sympathy  and  mutual  love.  We  are  not  one  as 
Christ  prayed  that  we  might  become.  .  There  are  lines  of  division  in  the 
church  which  ought  to  be  obliterated.  How  to  obviate  this  difficulty  is 
the  problem  to  be  solved.  It  is  related  of  one  whose  name  and  memory 
are  indissolubly  associated  with  this  church  edifice,^  whose  hands  helped 
to  build  these  walls,  and  whose  spirit  still  lingers  about  the  sanctuary  m 
which  he  so  long  worshiped  (the  late  Deacon  Saflbrd),  that  he  "  regarded 
the  family  of  Christ  as  his  own  family."  It  was  his  custom  to  keep  a 
list  of  the  members  of  the  church,  and  to  cultivate  a  personal  acquaint- 
ance with  each,  —  loving  those  united  with  him  in  these  sacred  bonds 
"  with  a  pure  heart  fervently."  This  sheds  light  upon  the  subject  so  far 
as  the  officers  of  the  church  are  concerned.  Something  can  be  done  also 
in  the  way  of  social  gatherings,  meetings  of  sewing  societies,  etc 
What  is  wanted  is  simply  to  bring  those  who  are  members  of  the  mysti- 
cal body  of  Christ  heart  to  heart.  Then  also  will  they  see  "  eye  to  eye.'' 
There  ought  to  be  no  tie  so  tender  and  strong  as  that  which  binds  one 
church-member  to  another;  no  feeling  of  love  like  that  which  wells  up 
in  the  heart  of  every  believer  from  that  common  fountain  whence  we 
draw  our  spiritual  life.  Over  the  portals  of  our  churches,  that  all  who 
enter  there  may  read,  should  be  inscribed,  "  Love  the  Brotherhood." 

9.  Higher  Standard  of  Piety  in  the  Church, 

We  might  almost  say  that  the  whole  work  of  parochial  evangeli- 
zation resolves  itself  into  this.  Let  the  standard  of  piety  be  elevated; 
let  every  church-member  feel  that  he  is  called  of  God  and  consecrated 
to  the  work  of  serving  Christ  in  saving  lost  men;  that  this  is  his 
mission,  and  not  to  get  money  or  achieve  a  high  social  iwaition,  —  the 
work  which  is  given  to  him  as  a  Christian  man  to  do,  and  by  which  he 
is  to  prove  that  he  is  a  Christian  man,  —  and  there  would  be  no  further 
need  of  discussion  as  to  the  methods  of  parochial  evangelization.  A  way 
would  be  opened,  a  broad  highway,  in  which  every  consecrated  believer 
in  Jesus  would  delight  to  walk.  What  we  want  on  the  part  of  the  mem- 
bership of  the  churches  is  more  humility,  more  brokenness  of  spirit,  a 
deeper  and  truer  penitence  for  sin.  We  want  a  stronger  love  for  Christ, 
a  more  abiding  sense  of  obligation  to  him.  We  want,  as  ministers  and 
laymen,  more  of  the  spirit  of  self-denial  and  self-sacrifice,  the  spirit  of 
the  cross,  —  a  willingness  to  be  anything  or  do  anything  if  only  God  may 
be  glorified,  and  we  glorified  in  him.  The  evangelization,  not  of  our 
parishes  simply,  but  of  the  world,  is  an  easy  problem  when  contemplated 
from  this  point  of  view. 

^  Mt.  Vernon  Church. 


PAROCHIAX   EVANGELIZATION.  '         491 

10.  The  Abiding  Presence  and  Power  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
We  live  under  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit.  This  fact  is  never  to  be 
lost  sight  of  in  all  our  plans  and  efforts.  The  doctrine  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  of  his  personality  and  power,  should  be  made  very  prpminent  in 
the  preaching  of  ministers  at  the  present  day.  There  have  been  three 
grand  epochs  in  the  history  of  the  world.  In  the  first,  God  the  Father 
was  the  principal  actor.  In  the  second,  God  the  Son.  Now  appears 
God  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  whom  it  is  given  to  complete  the  glorious  work. 
lie  is  the  source  of  all  spiritual  life  and  strength.  Without  him  we  are 
nothing.  And  just  here  is  our  danger  in  this  work  of  home  evangeliza- 
tion. We  mature  our  plans,  we  organize  our  forces,  we  enter  upon  tlie 
work.  The  machinery  is  perfect,  and  we  expect  great  results.  But  the 
spirit  of  power  does  not  rest  upon  us,  and  we  can  accomplish  nothing. 
How  different  is  it  when  the  Spirit  is  poured  out  from  on  high  I 

But  we  need  the  continued  presence  of  the  Spirit  in  our  churches,  and 
this  was  the  promise  of  Christ:  "And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  He 
shall  give  you  another  Comforter,  that  He  may  abide  with  you  for  ever." 
We  have  our  seasons  of  refreshing  followed  by  seasons  of  spiritual 
declension.  How  can  we  constrain  the  blessed  Spirit  to  abide  with  us  ? 
The  question  still  remains  to  be  answered.  One  thing,  however,  is  cer- 
tain :  when  that  time  shall  come,  the  problem  which  now  seems  so  diffl 
cult  will  have  been  solved.  "  Then  will  the  Lord  create  upon  every 
dwelling-place  of  Mount  Zion,.and  upon  her  assemblies,  a  cloud  of 
smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining  of  a  flaming  fire  by  night;  for  upon  all 
the  glory  shall  be  a  defense."  Then  every  house  will  have  its  altar,  and 
from  every  hearthstone  will  ascend  incense  and  a  pure  offering.  "  Then 
judgment  shall  dwell  in  the  wilderness,  and  righteousness  remain  in  the 
fruitful  field.  And  the  work  of  righteousness  shall  be  peace,  and  the 
effect  of  righteousness,  quietness  and  assurance  for  ever."  May  the 
Lord  hasten  it  in  his  time  I 

R.  T.  Robinson, 
A.  S.  Chesebrouqh, 
J.  M.  Holmes, 
H.  M.  Goodwin, 
D.  Burt, 

R.    CORDLEY, 

J.  T.  Ford. 
The  report  was  accepted. 

Rev.  Dr.  Ada3IS,  of  Maine.  I  would  make  a  request,  rather  than  a 
motion,  that  the  phrase, "  and  not  by  artistic  singing  from  hired  choirs," 
be  stricken  out;  not  but  that  I  am  heart  and  soul,  from  top  to  toe,  in 
sympathy  with  the  sentiment,  but  that  many  of  our  churches  do  employ 
hired  singers,  and  I  would  not  reflect  upon  them. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois.  I  would  ask  if  we  are  for  ever  to  be 
striking  out  things  which  we  believe  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts  to 
be  true. 


492  FAST-DAY. 

At  the  suggestion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Dutton,  of  Connecticut,  — 

Rev.  Dr.  Adams  modified  his  request,  and  formally  moved  to 
amend  so  as  to  read,  "  There  is  devotion  in  such  singing  mort 
than  in  the  performance  of  a  few  hired  singers,"  etc. 

The  amendment  was  agreed  to. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt,  of  New  York,  the  word 
"  supervision  "  was  substituted  for  "  control,"  in  speaking  of 
the  efforts  in  evangelizing  parishes,  Ac,  so  as  to  read  that  they 
"  should  be  under  the  supervision  of  the  church." 

The  report  was  then .  adopted. 

CHUKCH  TS  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

Rev.  Mr.^  Buckingham,  from  the  committee  ou  the  Church  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  read  the  following  report :  — 

The  Committee  preferred  that  no  specific  sum  should  be  recom- 
mended,  but  that  the  whole  matter  should  be  referred  to  the  Congrega- 
tional Union,  and  therefore  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  followiDg 
resolution  : 

Besolved,  That  the  trustees  of  the  American  Congregational  Um'on, 
be  advised  and  requested  to  take  into  consideration  the  importance  of  a 
well-sustained  Congregational  Church  in  the  city  of  Washington  ;  and, 
having  ascertained  what  facilities  there  are  for  the  establishment  of  such 
a  church,  and  what  aid  will  be  necessary  to  institute  the  arrangement, 
according  to  their  best  judgment  and  discretion,  to  build  or  purchase  a 
suitable  edifice  in  the  National  Capital  in  which  a  Congregational  Church 
may  maintain  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  public  worship  of  God- 

The  resolution  was  adopted. 

FAST-DAY. 

Rev.  Dr.  Swain,  of  Rhode  Island,  read  the  following  report 
of  the  committee  upon  a  Day  of  Fasting  and  Prayer :  — 

The  committee  would  recommend  that  Thursday,  the  14th  day  of  Sep- 
tember next,  be  observed  by  the  churches  represented  in  this  Council 
as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  to  Almighty  God  for  the  outpouring  upon 
them  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  so  that  this  great  convocation  may  be  speedily 
followed  by  those  good  eflects  which  were  ailned  at  in  the  beginning,  by 
a  close  union  and  a  warmer  mutual  sympathy  both  among  ourselves  and 
with  all  who  love  our  common  Lord  ;  by  a  deeper  and  more  intelligent 
grasp  of  the  principles  of  our  own  faith  and  polity  ;  by  a  more  earnest 
personal  consecration  to  CTirist  and  his  kingdom ;  by  a  new  spirit  of 
missionary  zeal  both  in  behalf  of  the  work  to  be  done  abroad,  and  the 


THE  ROLL.  493 

new  and  important  fields  to  be  occupied  at  home  ;  so  that,  having,  like 
the  primitive  disciples,  tarried  at  Jerusalem  for  "  The  promise  of  the 
Father,"  the  ministry  and  the  churches  may  go  forth  beneath  a  new  and 
mighty  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach  that  gospel  which  brought 
our  fathers  to  these  shores,  which  is  sent  for  the  healing  of  the  nations, 
and  which  is  destined  to  lead  the  whole  world  unto  Christ  The  com- 
mittee would  also  recommend  that  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to 
prepare,  and  issue  to  the  churches  as  soon  as  possible,  a  circular  to  this 
effect,  embracing  also  an  appeal  to  the  churches  in  behalf  of  the  750,000 
dollar  fund. 

A  member  stated  that  the  Massachusetts  Conference  holds  its 
Convention  upon  Sept.  14th,  the  day  recommended  by  the  com* 
mittee. 

After  consultation,  Friday,  the  15th  of  September,  was  ap- 
pointed as  the  day  of  fasting  and  prayer. 

The  report  as  amended  was  adopted. 

It  was  now  half  past  two  o'clock,  and  on  motion  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  the  hour  of  adjournment  was  postponed 
for  half  an  hour. 

Bev.  Dr.  Anderson,  of  Massachusetts.  There  were  a  few  mistakes 
as  to  matters  of  fact  in  the  answer  to  the  foreign  delegations,  which  it 
was  Dr.  Bacon's  intention  to  ask  permission  to  correct  He  is  not  here, 
and,  as  the  hour  of  adjournment  is  at  hand,  I  would  move  that  the  chair- 
man be  authorized  to  make  such  corrections  in  that  report  as  shall  make 
it  correspond  with  matters  of  fact  since  ascertained.- 

The  motion  was  carried. 

Rev.  Mr.  Langworthy,  from  the  committee  on  Nominations, 
reported  the  following  names  as  the 

COMMITTEE  TO  PREPARE  A  PASTORAL  LETTER. 

Committee  to  prepare  a  Pastoral  Letter,  —  Rev.  Edward  N.  Kirk,  D.  D., 
of  Massachusetts  ;  Rev.  Oliver  E.  Daggett,  D.  D.,  New  York  ;  Rev.  Asa 
Turner,  of  Iowa. 

THE  ROLL. 

Rev.  Dr.  Beecher,  of  Illinois,  from  the  committee  on  the 
Roll,  presented  their  report,  embracing  the  list  of  delegates,  and 
in  submitting  it,  said  :  — 

"  Li  addition  to  this  report,  I  wish  to  state  certain  things  that  should  be 
understood  in  connection  with  the  result  of  our  labors,  and  which,  imless 
there  shall  be  an  indication  to  the  contrary,  we  shall  consider  as  sanc- 
tioned by  the  assent  of  this  body. 


494  THE   ROLL. 

"  The  names  in  the  list  are  arranged  in  alphabetical  order,  beginning 
with  California  and  ending  with  Wisconsin.  The  mode  of  arrangemoit 
will  be  this :  — At  the  National  Coimcil  of  the  Congregational  Churches 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  convened  by  letters  missive  issued  bj 
committees  of  the  General  Association,  Conference  or  Convention  of 
Maine,  New  Hampshire,  etc.  —  specifying  the  States  that  in  fact  issued 
the  letters,  —  were  present  from  Maine,  etc.,  delegates  from  the  follow- 
ing churches  :  — then  specify  the  churches  that  acted  in  the  conference, 
and  opposite  put  the  names  and  residences  of  the  delegates,  by  whom 
they  were  represented,  and  pursue  that  order  through. 

"  There  was  passed,  subsequently  to  the  appointment  of  this  conmiit- 
tee,  an  order, '  That  the  committee  on  the  roll  be  instructed  to  report  the 
names  of  those  members  only  who  furnish  a  list  of  the  churches  that 
actually  participated  in  the  vote,  by  which  they  were  chosen.'  To  this 
vote  the  committee  were  obliged  to  give  a  liberal  construction  in  some 
cases,  to  wit,  in  the  cases  of  Maryland,  Delaware,  and  Tennessee,  in 
which  '  churches '  did  not  participate  in  the  action,  inasmuch  as  there 
was  but  one  church  in  each  of  those  States  to  act.  In  these  cases,  the 
church  and  delegate  are  reported,  and  the  committee,  in  making  out 
the  roll,  assumed  that  the  proceedings  in  these  cases  were  satisfactory, 
and  to  be  considered  as  coming  within  the  spirit  of  the  invitation. 

"  I  would  also  state,  that  in  some  cases  we  accepted  parole  testimony 
as  to  the  action  of  certain  churches.  For  example:  Here  are  certificates 
from  three  churches  in  Oregon  that  they  elected  G.  H.  Atkinson  as  a 
delegate  to  this  body.  The  document  which  he  brought  was  simply  an 
appointment  by  the  General  Association  of  Oregon,  which,  according  to 
the  principles  adopted,  would  not  be  satisfactory  credentials.  But  there 
are,  from  three  churches  in  Oregon,  testimonials  that  they  met  as 
churches  and  elected  him  ;  and  he  gave  parole  testimony  that  three 
other  churches  did  the  same.  We  have  accepted  that  statement,  and 
reported  six  churches  from  Oregon,  instead  of  the  three  from  which  we 
had  formal  credentials.  In  other  cases,  where  that  principle  applied,  we 
have  not  reported  the  names  of  the  churches,  unless  there  were  creden- 
tials that  covered  the  case,  or  that  which  was  considered  satisfactorv 
evidence  that  the  churches  had  acted  in  the  case,  and  were  truly  repre- 
sented. 

**  I  would  also  state  that  one  church,  which  was  not  present  by  dele- 
gate deserves  notice,  for  the  sake  of  the  moral  impression,  and  that  is 
the  church  in  Utah.  The  facts  in  regard  to  this  church  are  these  :  An 
invitation  was  sent  by  Dr.  Bacon  to  the  church,  and  a  reply  from  the 
pastor  located  there  received,  stating  that  the  letter  had  come  to  hand, 
and  at  the  same  time  stating  some  very  interesting  facts  with  regard  to 
that  church — the  only  church  in  the  territory  of  Mormonism,  in  the 
Salt  Lake  City  ;  and  we  felt  that  in  some  way  tbis  church,  which  does 
not  i^roperly  come  upon  the  roll,  should  be  presented  and  commended 
to  the  sympathy  of  the  Congregational  Churches  of  the  United  States; 
and  in  connection  with  the  proceedings  of  this  Council,  and  with  the 
consent  of  the  body,  the  committee  will  in  some  way  bring  this  to  pass.^ 


MISCELLANEOUS   MATTERS.  495 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  accepted. 

APPLICATION  FOR  THE  OPENING  SERMON. 

Rev.  Dr.  Leavitt,  of  New  York,  stated  that  the  publishers  of 
the  "  Independent "  desired  to  print  the  sermon  of  Dr.  Sturto- 
vant  in  next  week's  paper,  and  moved  that  the  manuscript  be 
returned  to  the  preacher  for  that  purpose. 

After  some  explanatory  statements  in  regard  to  the  matter  by 
the  scribe,  Rev.  H.  M.  Dexter,  the  motion  was  laid  on  the  table 
upon  the  motion  of  Rev.  P.  R.  Hurd,  of  Michigan. 

MISCELLANEOUS    MATTERS. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint,  of  Massachusetts,  from  the  committee  on 
Business,  stated  that  there  were  a  few  papers  still  remaining  in 
the  hands  of  that  committee,  and  submitted  them  to  the  Council, 
as  follows :  — 

Besolved,  That  this  Council  recognize  with  thankfulness  the  blessing 
of  God  upon  the  instruction  and  influence  of  Sabbath  schools,  and  com- 
mend this  instrumentality  to  the  deeper  interest  and  more  earnest 
prayers  of  the  churches. 

Adopted. 

liesolved,  That  the  following  minute  be  entered  upon  the  records  of 
this  Council :  That  the  Council  declares  that  no  action  that  has  been 
taken  by  this  body  is  to  be  taken  as  adverse  to  any  prohibitory  action 
on  the  subject  of  temperance. 

Adopted. 

liesolved,  That  the  official  proceedings  of  this  Council  be  published 
in  the  "  Congregational  Quarterly,"  and  that  the  sum  of  two  hundred  dol- 
lars be  appropriated  toward  the  expense  of  printing,  and  that  the  pub- 
lishers be  requested  to  issue  as  many  copies  of  the  same  proceedings, 
in  a  separate  form  as  shall  be  called  for,  at  cost  price. 

Adopted. 

Besohed,  That  the  original  records  and  papers  of  this  Council,  with 
the  phonographic  report,  be,  after  the  final  adjournment,  placed  on  per- 
petual deposit  with  the  directors  of  the  American  Congregational  Asso- 
ciation, never  to  be  removed  from  its  library  room;  and  that  the 
directors  be  authorized  to  publish  a  volume  of  proceedings  and  debates. 

Adopted. 
Besolvedy  That  when  the  work  of  the  committee  on  a  Platform  of  Polity 


496  FINANCES. 

r 

is  concluded,  it  be  published  under  the  care  of  a  committee,  by  the 
directors  of  the  American  Congregational  Association^  who  shall  retain 
the  copyright. 

Adopted. 

Besolvedj  That  the  Declaration  of  Faith  adopted  by  this  Comicil,  and 
the  Confession  of  Faith  adopted  by  our  Synod  at  Boston,  in  1680,  be 
printed  with  the  report  that  the  committee  on  Polity  may  make,  thai 
our  doctrine  and  polity  may  go  out  together,  and  be  easily  obtained  by 
every  one  of  the  churches. 

Adopted. 

The  committee  on  Business  recommended  that  the  duty  of 

compiling  these  documents  be  entrusted  to  the  committee  on 

PoUty,  and  this  recommendation  was  adopted. 

On  motion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Davis,  of  New  Uampshire,  it  was  ordered,  That 
the  committee  on  Church  Polity  be  authorized,  if  they  think  best,  to 
issue  an  epitome  or  digest  of  their  large  work  for  use  and  circulation 
among  the  churches,  the  copyright  to  be  held  in  trust  by  the  Directers 
of  the  American  Congregational  Association. 

Adopted. 

FINANCES. 

Dea.  Stoddard,  of  Massachusetts.  I  do  not  understand  how  the 
matter  of  finance  is  left.  Mr.  Henry  Hill  is  Treasurer,  but  he  has  never 
been  appointed  by  this  body.  There  is  but  little  money  in  the  treasury, 
probably  not  more  than  enough  to  pay  expenses  ;  but,  suppose  money 
should  come  in  after  this  body  adjourns,  who  is  to  be  the  custodian  of 
it  ?    1  don't  see  that  there  is  any  provision  made  for  that. 

Rev.  Mr.  Gulliver,  of  Connecticut.  I  move  that  Mr.  Henry  Hill 
be  the  Treasurer  of  this  body,  and  dispose  of  the  money  in  his  possession 
under  the  rules. 

Dea.  Stoddard.  Do  I  understand  that  the  functions  of  the  com- 
mittee on  Finance  cease  when  this  body  adjourns? 

Tile  Moderator.  Like  all  other  appointees  of  this  body^  I  think 
their  duties  are  then  at  an  end. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  of  Illinois.  There  is  a  resolution  upon  the 
subject,  which  was  brought  in  by  Mr.  Barstow,  which  fixes  the  status  of 
that  committee.    [The  resolution  was  read  by  the  scribe.] 

Dea.  Stoddard.    Then  the  committee  lives  after  this  body  dissolves? 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond.    Yes,  sir. 

Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  of  Massachusetts.  I  think  it  would  be  well  to 
appoint  the  treasurer  upon  that  committee. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond.  I  would  move  that  Mr.  Henry  Hill  be  added 
to  the  committee  on  Finance,  with  Dea,  Stoddard. 

Adopted. 


CLOSING   PBOCEEDINGS.  497 

MEMORIAL  TO  JOHN  ROBINSON. 

Bey.  Mr.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts.  I  desire  to  state  that  the  house 
in  which  John  Robinson  lived,  in  Leyden,  has  been  identified  in  the 
square  opposite  the  cathedral  of  St  Peter's,  and  our  American  Min- 
ister at  one  time  intended  to  insert  a  stone  in  the  wall,  calling  the 
attention  of  the  traveler  to  the  fact  that  he  once  lived  upon  that  spot 
I  thought  it  would  be  a  pleasant  thing  if  this  Council  would  author- 
ize the  placing  of  a  slab  in  the  wall  of  that  house,  with  a  suitable 
inscription,  testifying  to  the  traveler,  and  to  the  students  of  the  Univer- 
sity, which  is  very  near  the  house,  that  the  representatives  of  three 
thousand  churches  —  fruits  of  the  seed  that  was  in  the  ground  there  for 
a  little  while  —  gratefully  remember  that  John  Robinson  once  dwelt  and 
taught  on  that  spot  It  can  be  done  without  any  expense  to  the  Coun- 
cil. I  move  that  a  committee  be  appointed,  and  authorized  to  prepare 
a  proper  inscription  for  a  slab  to  be  placed  in  that  walL 

The  motion  was  carried,  and  Rev.  Messrs.  Dexter  and  Well- 
man,  of  Massachusetts,  were  appointed  that  committee. 

CLOSING  PROCEEDINGS. 

Rev.  Mr.  Quint.  The  business  of  the  Council,  so  far  as  the  committee 
know,  is  closed,  with  this  exception,  that  two  brethren  desire  to  oflfer 
resolutions.  Over  forty  committees  have  reported,  and  a  great  number 
of  papers  have  been  acted  upon.  We  move  now  that  all  business  be 
closed,  except  to  hear  motions  (rom  the  Hon.  Mr.  Hammond,  and  Rev. 
Dr.  Wolc^tt 

Carried. 

Hon.  Mr.  HamHond.  The  resolutions  which  I  hold  in  my  hand  were 
placed  there  by  Mr.  Eustis:  — 

Resolved,  That  this  Council  declare  their  high  appreciation  of  the  time 
and  labor  which  have  been  expended  by  the  committees  appointed  by 
the  preliminary  meeting  at  New  York,  to  prepare  business  for  this 
Council,  and  especially  to  the  committee  of  Arrangements  at  Boston,  to 
whom  they  are  indebted  for  innumerable  attentions,  and  for  that  excur- 
sion to  the  spot  where  our  forefathers  first  brought  that  Catholic  Church 
whose  order  we  maintain.  They  would  also  gratefuUy  notice  the  invita- 
tions from  individuals  and  corporations,  most  of  which  we  regret  to  have 
been  obliged  to  decline. 

Resolved,  secondly,  That  this  National  Council  of  the  Congregational 
Churches  of  the  United  States  do  hereby  return  their  thanks  to  the 
citizens  of  Boston  and  its  vicinity  for  the  generous  hospitality  which  has 
been  so  munificently  provided  for  the  members  during  this  session,  and 
to  the  churches  whose  sanctuaries  have  been  freely  opened  for  their 
accommodation ;  and  pray  the  Lord  who  does  not  forget  even  a  cup 

33 


498  CLOSING   PROCEEDINGS. 

of  cold  water  given  a  disciple,  to  reward  with  the  richest  spiritual 
blessings  this  community,  for  their  abounding  kindnesses  and  entertain- 
ments. 

The  resolutions  were  adopted  unanimously. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott,  of  Ohio,  offered  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  unanimously  adopted  :  — 

Sesolved^  That  the  Council  tenders  its  thanks  to  His  Excellency,  Got. 
Buckingham,  our  honored  Moderator,  for  the  dignity,  urbanity,  and 
courtesy  with  which  he  has  presided  over  its  deliberations,  to  which,  in 
part,  we  ascribe  the  pleasant  cordiality  of  feeling,  unmarred  by  bitter- 
ness or  harshness,  which  has  prevailed  throughout  its  earnest  discussions  ; 
and  as  a  National  Council  we  express  the  satisfaction  with  which  we  are 
reminded  by  this  assembly  of  the  early  days  of  our  Puritan  history, 
when  the  chief  magistrates  of  the  colonies  were  the  servants  of  the 
churches,  and  the  honors  of  the  State  were  humbly  laid  at  the  foot  of 
the  cross. 

The  Moderator  replied  as  foHows  :  — 

Mr,  Moderator  :  I  am  not  prepared  —  not  able  —  properly  to  reply  to 
that  resolution.  I  remember,  by  history,  that  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  years  ago,  my  paternal  ancestor  presided  as  the  Assistant  Mod- 
erator at  that  synod  which  adopted  the  Saybrook  Platform.  [Applause.] 
For  me  to  occupy  such  a  position  as  I  do  to-day,  through  your  partiality, 
is  a  high  privilege.  I  believe  I  occupy  it,  in  part,  in  consequence  of  the 
partiality  which  has  been  manifested  by  the  citizens  of  Connecticut 
toward  me,  in  placing  me  in  a  position  which  has  linked  my  name,  for 
the  few  years  past,  with  the  government  of  that  little  State  so  intimately 
connected  with  the  cause  of  liberty  and  civil  government  [Applause.] 
This,  also,  has  been  an  unspeakable  privilege,  occurring,  as  it  has,  during 
a  period  when  all  the  interests  of  civil  government  have  been,  as  it  were, 
concentrated  upon  the  events  of  the  passing  hour  or  year.  No  events 
have  ever  transpired,  in  the  history  of  this  world,  of  such  importance  to 
civilization,  to  civil  government,  to  morality,  and  to  religion,  as  the 
events  which  have  transpired  before  us.  It  is  a  privilege  to  live  at  such 
a  time;  and  it  is  a  privilege  to  be  the  chief  magistrate  of  a  State  whose 
patriotism  goes  down  to  the  very  depths  of  love,  and  offers  her  sons  and 
her  fathers  as  sacrifices  on  the  altar  of  liberty.    [Applause.] 

But  there  are  still  higher  interests  than  those  of  merely  civil  govern- 
ment ;  there  are  higher  interests  than  those  which  are  merely  temporal ; 
for  they  will  pass  away.  This  Council  binds  us  to  those  higher  interests, 
reaching  from  this,  on  to  another,  life  ;  and  to  be  connected  with  a  body 
like  this,  which  takes  action  for  the  promotion  of  those  interests,  is  a 
higher  privilege  than  is  enjoyed  by  any  man  whose  duties  relate  merely 
to  earthly  things.    I  rejoice  in  it.    I  am  grateful  to  you  ;  I  thank  you 


CLOSING   PROCEEDINGS.  499 

fbr  yonr  forbearance  toward  me.    I  am  gratefol^to  God  who  grants  me 
this  privilege,    [Applause.] 

Rev.  Dr.  Wolcott  also,  presented  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  adopted,  unanimously  :  — 

Resolved^  That  the  ability  with  which  the  occasional  and  special  ser- 
vices which  have  devolved  upon  our  respected  Assistant  Moderators  have 
been  performed,  and  the  promptness  and  thoroughness  with  which  our 
Scribes  have  discharged  their  various  duties,  are  entitled  to  special  rec- 
ognition. And  to  all  these  officers,  also,  the  Council  tenders  its  thanks  for 
their  faithfulness  and  efficiency. 

Hon.  Mr.  Hammond.  In  the  absence  of  Dr.  Thompson,  I  can  only 
say  we  sincerely  thank  you  for  the  kindness  with  which  you  have 
received  all  we  have  attempted  to  do  to  carry  forward  the  business  oi 
this  Council.  J  would  say  one  other  word,  and  that  is,  that  to  the  latest 
day  of  my  life,  I  shall  with  gratitude  and  with  joy  look  back  to  the  do- 
ings of  this  Coimcil,  hoping,  as  I  do,  that  all  future  generations  will  with 
us  rejoice  that  this  Council  has  met,  —  that  it  has  met  in  Boston,  and  that 
it  has  done  what  it  has.    And  may  the  Lord  bless  us  all  I     [Applause.] 

The  minutes  of  the  day's  proceedings  were,  at  this  point,  read 
and  approved. 

The  Moderatob.  I  understand  that  the  Synod  which  was  sum- 
moned in  1648  closed  by  singing  the  "  Song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb." 
What  version  it  was,  I  know  not ;  but  I  propose  that  we  now  sing  three 
verses  of  that  song,  as  it  is  found  in  the  159th  hymn.  Sing  the  first  and 
the  last  two  verses. 

The  verses  referred  to  are  the  following,  and  they  were  sung 
by  the  entire  Council,  the  congregation  also  uniting :  — 

"  Awake,  and  sing  the  8ong 

Of  Moees  and  the  Lamb  ; 
Wake,  every  heart,  and  every  tongae, 
To  praise  the  Saviour's  name  ! 

'*  Soon  shall  we  hear  him  say, 

'  Te  blessed  children,  come  ;  * 
Soon  will  he  call  us  hence  away 
To  our  eternal  home. 

**  Soon  shall  our  raptured  tongue 
His  endless  praise  proclaim. 
And  sweeter  voices  tune  the  song 
Of  Moses  and  the  Lamb." 


500  CLOSING   PBOCEEDINGB. 

Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  d.  d.,  of  Massachusetts,  then  offered  & 
fervent  and  solemn  prayer ,  after  which  the  Doxologj  was  sung,— 

««To  God  the  Fftthcr,  Gof  the  Son, 
And  God  the  Spirit,  Three  in  One, 
Be  honor,  praise,  and  glory  given, 
By  all  on  earth,  and  all  in  heaven  !  *' 

The  Moderator  then  declared  the  Council  adjourned,  without 
day. 

(Signed)  WILLIAM  A.  BUCKINQHAM,  Modssatob. 

JOSEPH  P.  THOMPSON,  Fimt  Absibtakt. 
C.  G.  HAMMOND,  Sbcohd  Absibtavt. 
HENRY  M.  DEXTEB, 
PHILO  R.  HURD, 
M.  K.  WHITTLESEY,  [  Scribxs. 
SAMUEL  HOLMES, 
E.  P.  MARVIN, 


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INDEX  OF  SU:PJECTS. 


PAOB 

Address  of  Welcome, 26 

Moderator,  opening SO 

closing  .        .        . 498 

American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union,       ....  228,229,411,413 

American  Bible  Society, 228,341,411 

American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,    •        .        .         228,  41 1 
American  Congregational  Association,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also,  220,  249,  253,  391, 

406,407,411,495 
American  Congregational  Union,  .        .  •      #•        •    3,239,263,409,413 

American  Education  Society, 229,411 

American  Home  Missionary  Society, 228,  260,  41 1 

American  Missionary  Association, 229,  260,  41 1 

American  Protestant  Assembly,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also     .        .         181,  208,  485 

American  Seaman's  Friend  Society, 228,  229* 

American  Sunday  School  Union, 341 

American  Tract  Societies, 341,  412,  415 

Andrew,  Governor,  visit  of 208,  234 

address  to   .        .        .        .        .        ^       .        .  234 

response  by .       235 

Baltimore,  church  in 359, 409 

Benevolent  Contributions,  on  systematizing,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also        .         222 

Bible  and  Science, 237 

in  Schools,         . 287 

Books  and  Tracts,  see  "  Committees," 

Boston,  welcomed  to  ...  ......  17 

Boston,  England,  letter  from 388,447 

Bunker  Uill  Monument,  invitation  to  visit 54 

visit  to 198 

California,  communication  from 181 

Canada,  delegation  from 64 

Charlestown,  First  Church,  invitation  from 53 

session  in 81,182,196 

Navy  Yard,  invitation  to 195 

Church  Building,  see  "  Committees  "  ;  also  79,  197,  208,  262, 264,  266, 279, 302, 319 
Church  Polity,  see  "Committees";  also     101,  117,  129,  152,  238,  274,  319,  360, 

427,  430,  447,  463,  486,  496 
Collegiate  and  Theological  Education  at  the  West,  Society,    229,  258,  263,  411,  484 

Collegiata  Education,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also 181,  258 

(517) 


518  INDEX   01^   SUBJECTS. 

Committees  appointed,  and  reference  of  subjects  to,  and  reports  from,  — 

American  Congregational  Association,    .....  253 

report  by  .         .        .      391 

Protestant  Assembly, 181,  208,  4!?5 

report  by  ....        447 

Benevolent  Contributions,  systematizing        ....     231,-2:^^ 

reports  by         .        .         .  .         .        410 

Books  and  Tracts, 238,  245,  iS-'i 

report  by ^1 

Business, 54,  71,  337,  360, 40*6 

reports  by     78,  79,  81,  117,  148,  181,  196,  233,  234,  2.37.  245, 
249,  253,  258,  302,  358,  361,  384,  385,  397,  405,  407,  408,  447,  497 

Church  Building 208,  249,  2.V) 

report  by .        2fJ2 

,       Church  Polity,  .         .         .         133,  134,  182,  238.  360,  486, 496 

reports  by  .         .        .        ...         .         .  1 53, 427 

Collegiate  Education, 181,208.258,447 

report  by 470, 4.«4 

Country,  condition  of    .        .         .        .82,  133,  147,  181,  240.  250,  252 

report  by  ....  240,  250,  259 

Credentials  of  Members, 29,  52,  151 

reports  by    ....        52,79,81,151 
Declaration  of  Faith,       .         .       100,  101, 134,  161,  1^1,  237,  359,  365 

reports  by 344,  400 

Devotional  Exercises, 71,81,151 

reports  by 101,  181 

Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South,      .        .  161,181,196,360 

reports  by     .        .        259, 4(i9 

Finance,      •. 71,253,496,497 

reports  by 253,  279.  360 

Foreign  Bodies,  their  course  in  the  War,       .        .        .        95,  134,  493 

report  by    .         .         .        321 

Foreign  Missions, 151,162,233 

report  by 231 

Italy,  communication  from .     245 

report  by 333 

Massachusetts  Convention  of  Congregational  Ministers,  communi- 
cation from    116,117,134 

Massachusetts  Convention,  report  by         .        «...         246 

Ministerial  Education, 181,  196,  208,  239,  258 

report  by 447 

Ministerial  Support, 161, 239 

report  by    .        .        .        .        .        .         .        s^5 

Nominations, 28,  54,  55,  64,  82,  S3 

reports  by  29,  71,  133,  161,  181,  182,  196,  208,  222,  239, 

245,  253,  408,  426,  427,  464,  485,  493 

Parochial  Evangelization, 222, 234 

report  by 486 

Pastoral  Letter, 492 

Prayer  and  Fasting,  day  of 359,  409 

report  by 492 


INDEX   OF   SUBJECTS.  519 

PAOB 

Committees  appointed,  &c.,  continued : 

Printing, 71 

rejx)rt  by        ...         , 495 

Robinson,  memorial  to 497 

Roll  of  Members, 152,  162,  196,  208,  233 

report  by        . 493 

Rules  of  Order, 29 

report  by 55 

Seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  raising  of     .        .      360,  408 

report  by  .  464, 485 

Temperance, 181,  182,  208,  258, 359 

report  by        .        . 479 

Washington  City,  church  in 181,405 

report  by 239, 492 

Worship,  public 405,  427 

report  by 467 

Committees  of  the  Preliminary  Conference,  appointment,  and  papers  from,  — 

Arrangements, 10 

Benevolent  Contributions,  systematizing,  appointed,  10 ;  paper  from,  222 

Church  Building, 197 

Chiuch  Polity,  appointed,  9;  paper  from  .         .         .  101,117,129 

Declaration  of  Faith,  appointed,  10;  paper  from  ....  95 
Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South,  appointed,  9  ;  paper  from  135 
Ministerial  Education,  appointed,  9  ;  paper  from  .         .      162,  196 

Ministerial  Support,  appointed,  9 ;  paper  from  .         .         .  154 

Parochial  Evangelization,  appointed,  9 ;  paper  from      .         .         .     209 
Conference  of  Preliminary  Committees,  proceedings  of         .        .        .        .4-11 

Congregational  Board  of  Publication, 341,411,415 

Congregational  House,  in  Boston, 249,391,397 

Connecticut,  General  Association,  action  of 3 

Consociationism, 461,  466,  468 

Convention  of  the  Congregational  churches  of  the  North-west,  action  of       .  1 

Council,  National,  of   1865;    formally  prepared,  1 ;  preliminary  committees  in 
conference,  4  ;  Council  decided  upon,  6 ;  terms  of  representation,  and  time 
and  place  of  meeting,  8;  letters  missive,  11 ;  opens  at  Boston,  19  ;  closes,     500 
Councils,  previous,  of  the  American  Congregational  churches,       ...  v 

Country,  condition  of,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also    1,  82,  133,  147,  181,  240,  250,  254, 

259,  302 
Credentials,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also 148 

Declaration  of  Faith,  first  draft,  95  ;  second  draft,  344 ;  third  draft,  361  ;  as  re- 
vised, 401 ;  see  "  Committees  ";  also    10,  95,  99,  152,  196,  274,  281,  344,  359, 

384,  385,  397,  400,  496 
Devotional  Exercises,  see  "Committees";  also  28,  30,  78,  99,  161,  208,  266,  320, 

365,  397,  404,  407,  466,  499,  500 
Devotional  Service,  special 9,  81,  101,  182 

England,  letters  from 58,  62,  388,  447 

Evangelization  in  the  West  and  South,  see  "  Committees  ** ;  ako,  135,  196,  259, 264, 

266,  279,  298,  302,  319,  320,  360 


520  INDix   OF   SUBJECTS. 

Finance,  see  "  Committees ";  also  .....         •      9,11,360,496 

Forefathers'  Rock,  visit  to .  36$ 

Foreign  Delegate^  credentials  and  papers  of         ....         .    58,  64,  238 

presentation  of .         58, 64 

welcome  to.. .         65 

replies  from,—. 

Dr.  Massie .         .      75 

Mr.  Monod, 76,  83 

Dr.  Raleigh, 71 

'    Dr.  Thomas, U 

Dr.  Vanghan,     .        .        .        .        .         .         .         .66 

Dr.  wakes, 76 

response  to .    321 

Religions  Bodies,  their  course  in  the  late  war,  see  "  Committees  "  ;   also 

95,  321,  493 
Foreign  Missions,    see  "  Conmiittees " ;    also    151,    162,   231;    also     "American 

Board,"  &c. 
France,  letter  from .         •      59 

General  Theological  Library,  invitation  from        ......  SO 

Goodrich,  Collector,  invitation  from  ...•••  298, 384 

Hook,  Messrs.,  invitation  from 239 

Hnbbard,  Mr.  G.  G.,  invitation  from 293 

Illinois,  Gkineral  Association,  action  of 2,  79 

Indiana,  General  Association,  action  of 2 

Invitation,  preliminary  letters  of 11-17 

Iowa,  General  Association,  action  of 2 

Italy,  churches  of,  see  "  Committees";  also      .        .        .  147,  238,  338-341 

Lincoln  College, 181, 484 

Massachusetts  Convention  of  Congregational  Ministers,  communication  from       116 

reply  to      .        .         .246 

Massachusetts  General  Association,  action  of 3 

Massachusetts  Sabbath  School  Society, 229,  341 

Members  of  Council,  list  of,  19  ;  list  of,  with  nativities,  501  ;  honorary,  25,  65, 
79,  410.     See  "  Committees  " ;  also  148,  149,  152,  162,  180,  196,  493 

Metho<li8ts,  non-Episcopal,  telegram  and  reply, 387 

Michigan,  General  Association,  action  of      ......         .  2 

Ministerial  Education,  see  "  Committees  ";  also       ....      162,196,447 

Ministerial  Support,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also 154,  385 

Minnesota,  General  Conference,  action  of 3 

Moderator,  address  of,  on  taking  the  chair,  SO ;  thanks  to,  497  ;  closing  address,  498 

New  Brunswick,  letter  from  . 58 

New  Hampshire,  General  Association,  action  of 3 

New  York,  General  Association,  action  of 3 

Ohio,  General  Conference,  action  of .2 


INDEX  OF   SUBJECTS.  521 

rAQi 

Organizatioii,  temporary •        .    27, 88 

permanent,  .        •        •        • 29, 64, 71 

Parochial  Evangelization,  see  "  Committees" ;  also      •        .        .         209,  234,  486 

Pastoral  Letter 493 

Phonographic  report, 79 

Pilgrim  Hall,  invitation  to 245 

visit 365 

Plymouth,  invitations  to 82,245 

excursion  to 153, 258 

session  at 361 

collation, .        365 

addresses  at — 

Rev.  Dr.  A.  L.  Stone, 366 

Dr.  Timothy  Gordon, 368 

Edward  S.  Tohey, 368 

Charles  G.  Hammond, 369 

Bev.  Dr.  Joseph  P.  Thompson, 370 

Bev.  Dr.  Vanghan, 378 

Bev.  Dr.  Raleigh, 375 

Bev.  Dr.  Massie,      .        , 377 

Bev.  Mr.  Monod, 379 

Bev.  Dr.  Post, 380 

Bev.  Dr.  Bacon, 382 

Bev.  Dr.  Budington,        ........        388 

Prayer  and  Fasting,  day  of,  see  "  Committees," 

President  Johnson,  address  to 55 

reply  from 266 

resolutions  to  be  sent  to \  ,     254,  308 

Proposal  for  convening  the  Council, 1 

Pal)lication  of  Proceedings, 495 

Pulpits,  Boston,  supplies  to 151,  181 

Bebels,  civil  rights  of 250,254,259 

Becords,  disposal  of 495 

Beligious  Books  and  Tracts,  238 

Beports  of  Committees,  see  "  Committees." 

Bhode  Island  Conference,  action  of  ...••...        8 

Bevivals  of  religion, 237 

Bobinson,  memorial  to 497 

Bules  of  order, 55, 153,  253,  254 

Sabbath,  the 359 

Sabbath  Schools, 495 

Schools,  the  Bible  in 237 

Secret  Associations, 405 

Seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  see  "  Committees  " ;  also    260,  263,  868 

275,  293,  308 
method  of  raising,  360,  406,  408, 409, 464,  485 

Sermon  by  President  Stnrtevant, 10,  30,  31 

thanks  to 196 


522  INDEX    OF   SUBJECTS. 

Sermon,  application  for .         .495 

Sessions,  hours  of .    2$,  30 

evening,  proposed 300, 3ul 

Saffrage,  aniversal 254 

Synods,  previous,  in  America, v. 

Temperance, see  "Committees";  also  .        .        .181,  182,  208,  258,  358.  495 

Festival,  invitation  to 53,  54 

Thanks,  votes  of  .         .        .        .....        .        •     11,  384,  497,  498,  49*» 

Tobacco, 258,  358,  479 

Utah,  church  in     .        . .161 

Vermont,  General  Conference,  action  of .3 

Waldensian  church,  letter  firom .238 

Wales,  letter  from .60 

Washington,  church  in,  see  "  Cpnmiittees  ";  also  181,  239,  249,  277,  405,  493 

Welcome,  address  of,  by  Rev.  Dr..  A.  L.  Stone,    ......  26 

Worship,  order  of 237,  405,  407,  427,  467 

public,  by  the  Cotmcil, 30 


INDEX  OF  NAMES  OF  PERSONS. 


PAOB 

Adams,  4, 6, 15, 19, 20, 21,  23,  27,  28,  71, 
82, 182, 183,  189,  234,  266,  302,  380, 

397,  403,  413,  491,  501 

Aiken, 15 

Alden,         .        .        .        .        .  21, 501 

Alexander,  .        .        .        19, 501 

Allen,         4,  5,  6,  10,  11,  21,  22,  24,  149, 

243,  252,  274,  318,  332,  357,  363, 

385,  426,  455,  466,  501 

Ambrose, 62 

Anderson,  iii.,  iv.,  5,  6,  10,  18,  21,  134, 
240,  249,  275,  326,  393,  407,  454, 

486,  493,  496,  500,  501 
Andrew,  ....  208,  234 
Andrews,  5, 10, 15,  21,  25,  191,  222,  231, 

501 
Anthony,        .        •        .        .       21, 501 

Argyle, 323 

Arms,  .  .  .  .  19, 408,  501 
Armsbj,  .  .  .  *  .  .  21,  501 
Asbiuy,  ...         25,  58, 321 

Atkins,       .  20,  29,  64,  71,  501 

Atkinson,         24,  28,  134,  162,  243,  262, 

300,  3a3,  408,  494,  501 

Attacks, 27 

Augustine, 352 

Austin, 19,  501 

Avery, 19,  501 

Ayres,    ...  20, 21,  148,  501 

Bacon,  xi.,  5,  7,  9,  11,  15,  19,  21,  28,  64, 
65,80,81, 100, 101, 102, 104,  115, 
117,  134,  148,  162,  181,  193,  208, 
245,  254,  256,  262,  264,  321,  326, 
336,  341,  343,  350,  363,  371,  382, 
384,  406,  408,  409,  419,  430,  445, 
447,  459,  473,  481,  484,  486,  494, 

501 
Badger,  5, 19, 55,  189,  275,  313,  410,  501 
Baker, 21,  502 


PAOB 

Baldwin,     .        .  .        .    5, 275 

Balkam,  21,  347,  350,  354,  358,  408,  502 
Bancroft,         .        .         .         .  143 

Barbour,  .  .  .  .  .21, 502 
Barker,  ....  24,  28,  502 
Barnard,     .        .       22,  23,  134,  253,  502 

Barnes, 10,  205 

Barrows,     .         .        .     21,162,486,502 

Barstow,     23,  24,  28,  133,  208,  243,  253, 

319,  356,  400,  403,  406,  408,  426, 

481,  496,  502 
Bartlett,      20,  21,  23,  134, 151,  273,  430, 

442,  448,  486,  502 
Bascom,  5,  6,  9,  10,  15,  20,  55,  147,  466, 

502 

Bates, 22,  502 

Beecher,  20,  24,  28,  29,  62,  85,  95,  99, 
134,  151,  152,  162,  183,  205,  239, 
243,  245,  253,  254,  278,  291,  297, 
301,  312,  321,  326,  332,  343,  354, 
383,  422,  455,  466,  474,  486,  493, 

502 
Bell,       ...         24,  133,  243,  502 

Bellamy, 354 

Benan, 61 

Bennett, 24,  502 

Bent,      .        .         .        .         .       20,  502 

Bcrsier, 67 

Bigelow,         ....  86,  87,  90 

Biscoe, 21,  502 

Bishop,  .  .  24,  134,  153,  430,  502 
Bhigden,  10,  18,  25,  57,  390,  447,  502 
Blanchard,  .  .  .21,  312,  486,  502 
Bliss,  9,  24,  28,  147,  252,  259,  264,  279, 
307,  404,  408,  418,  463,  502 
Blodgett,  5, 7.  15,  24,  208,  420,  479,  481, 

482,  483,  502 
Bodwell,         .         21, 162,  419,  485,  502 

Bonar, 134 

Booth,    .  .        19,253,393,502 

(528) 


624 


INDEX  OF   NAMES    OF   PERSONS. 


PAQV 

Bouton,       .  4,  15,  23,  319,  385,  502 

Bowen,  23,  29,  55,  71,  181,  239,  293,  502 


.      19,  23,  502 

.       24,  502 

.  21,  502 

10,  18,25,381,  502 

.  23,  421,  503 

19,  408,  503 

.   24,  408,  503 

.     381,  387 

371 


Boyd, 

Boynton, 

Bradbury, 

Bnulford, 

Bradshaw,  . 

Brainerd, 

Bnutow, 

Brewster, 

Bridge, 

Bright 323 

Brintnall,    ....  24,  503 

Bristol,   ....       23,  134,  503 

Brockway, 486 

BrowD,  .  .  5, 15,  21,  22,  23,  450,  503 
Bryant,       20, 28,  133,  243,  315,  408,  503 

Buchanan, 328 

Backingham,  xi.,  9,  21,  29,  30,  161,  182, 

208,  235,  253,  262,  264,  266,  369, 

387,  483,  485,  492,  498,  503 

Badington,  5,  7,  15,  19,  23,  65,  116,  162, 

190,  231,  233,  249,  295,  298,  329, 

337,  383,  415,  503 

Buffum,  ...        23, 486,  503 

Bngbee, 23,  503 

Ballen,  .        .        .        .20,503 

Bulkley, vii 

Balwer, 344 

Burr,  19,  100,  182,  302,  430,  448,  503 
Bart,  .  .  22,  222,  234,  486,  491,  503 
Batler,  5, 1 5, 23, 49, 239, 329, 4 1 2, 423, 503 

Batton, 19,  503 

Byington,   .       24,  82,  162,  358,  486,  503 

Cady,        .         .         20,  24,  239, 412,  503, 

Ciesar, 450 

Calvin,  .  .  .  45,352,355,379 
Carpenter,    20,  21,  24,  71,  208,  253,  264, 

503 
Carter,       20, 21,  162,  233,  266,  408,  423, 

485,  503 
Caryl,  .....        371 

Cavour, 69 

Chalmers, 306 

Chamberlain,     .  9,  20,  208,  264,  503 

Chapin,  .  .  .21, 25, 410,  503 
Chapman,  ....  23, 503 
Charpiot,     .        .        .        .  19,  503 

Chase,  .  .  .  .  .  21, 503 
Cheney,        ....         24, 503 


PAM 

Chesebrough,    .        .       19,  222,  491,  503 
ChUd,     21,  28, 29,  30,  254,  302,  319,  337, 

504 

Childs 21,  22,  23,^04 

Claggett, 23,  504 

Clapp,  .         .         .         .         ..         .    5,  15 

Clark,  xi.,  20,  23,  24,  181,  208,  298,  338, 

396,  504 
Clary,  .        21,  24,  162,  262, 504 

Cleaveland,  .        .        .  '     .         .        85 

Clement, 18 

CUa, 5,6 

Cobdcn, 323 

Cochin,         ...        *         .92 
Cochran,  .         .       20,  253,  364,  393,  504 

Coe, 5,  24,  504 

Coffey, 22,  504 

CoflBn, 317 

Cole, 21,  504 


Coleman,  . 

Collie,    . 

ColumbuB, 

Conant, 

Copemicos, 

Cordley, 

Cornelias, 

Comwell, 

Cotton,     . 

Crane,  . 


.    20,  504 

25,  208,  481,  504 

451 

•  ■         24,  504 

291 

21,  222,  486,  491,  504 

174 

.32,  28,  504 

.     vii.,  246,  388,  458 


....  24,504 

Crawford,  19,  21,  147,  162,  243,  262,  311. 

408,504 
Crocker, 21, 504 


Cromwell, 
Crosby,     . 
Crowell, 
Candall,   . 
Currier, 
Cashing, 
Cushman, 
Cutler, 


.   67,  70,  325,  354 

458 

.      25,  408,  504 

9,  23,  28,  135,  147,  486,  504 

21,253,391,473,504 

19,  28,  380,  504 

.    ^     .         .         .  21,504 

Cutter, 21, 504 

Cuyler, 85 


Daggett,  .  23,  133,  243,  365,  493,  504 
Dana,    .        .      19,21,23,208,481,504 

Danforth, 5,  15 

Daniel, 61 

Daniels,  .  .  20,  25,  58,  321,  504 
Darling,  .  .  .  24,186,505 
Davenport,  .  .  .  178,446 
Davey, 389 


\ 


IHDEZ   OF  HAHE3   OF    PEBfiOHB. 


DsTlM,        ....      S3,61,90S 

Darii,     t,  15,  SI,  !3,  134,  153,  3S7,  377, 

393,  4al,  430,  468,  486,  SOS 

Dean, 19, 505 

D«Broglie S9 

De  GaBpariD,  .        .        .        B3, 89, 3!a 
Delamater,  ...         U,  505 

Dclilte 60,83 

DenisoD 19,905 

Denny 31,509 

Descomba;,  .    '   .        .        .        86 

Da  TocqnevillB,        ...  33 

DexWr,  iii.,  St.,  9,  10,  18,  91,  SB,  39,  53, 

54,  64,  79,  116,  151,  aSS,  S45,  358, 

365,  371,  390,  400,  447,  457,  481, 

489,  499,  497,  505 

Dinimon,      ....        31, 505 

Dodfre,       ....     31,408,  505 

Doe,       ...         35,  308,  364, 505 

Doa^aa,         19,  100,  15S,  1G3,  333,  363, 

399,  505 

Dowse 33,  509 

Drake, SO,  505 

Drnrj,        .  .    33,  71, 509 

Dnchenun, 87 

Dnff,  ....  39,  331 

Dnnlap, S3,  505 

Dann,  .         ,         .30,  80, 408,  505 

Dnren,     ...        SI,  71,  163,  505 

Dutton,   19,98,  39,  30,  81,  116,  161,  353, 

999,  383,  964,  3G6,  369,  974,  3T7, 

396,  398,  303,  318,  319,  355,  364, 

384,  397,  405,  406,  409,  418,  484, 

489,904 

Dwight,        x!.,  94,  39,  98,  353,  359,  90S 

DwIddcII,  .  .95,505 

Eaitman,  .        .        .        .93, 909 

Ebbs, 99, 331 

Eddj,      33,  169,  933,  393,  384,  S44.  35S. 
364,  384,  439,  463, 466,  489,  509 
Edgar,         ....  19, 505 

Edwarde,  61 ,  353, 354,  480 

Efrgleaton,   5,6,11,15,39,497,468,905 
Eldiid)^,       ■     15,  19,  134,  461,  468,  505 


Elloi 


454 


Eliubclh  (Queen),  67,3S5,490 

Elmer,     .  99,  939,  387,  408,  505 

Emcnon,      ....  33, 505 

Emery,    ...         90,  33,  169,  905 
Ender,         ....         33,  509 


Eaty, 99, 506 

Bnttia,    9,  19, 19,  64,  101,  134,  148,  948, 
497,506 

Enuii, 61,69 

ETaitt,  184, 189 

Fairchild,  34,  161,486,  906 

Fairfield 90,506 

Fargo, 305 

Farnawarth,  .  S3,  506 

Famgat 938 

FolIowB, 31,506 

Fait Till 

Ferrin,  .34,  89,  397,  506 

Field,  19,  3S,  908,  466,  4BS,  506 

Finch,  .         .  .35,  55,  393,  486,  506 

Fiich 60,  89 

Fiab,      .  .33,  99,  133,  343,  506 

Fijhef,  10, 19,  95,  98,  134,  943,  486,  906 

Fiak,  Flske,  9,  91,  39,  134,  ISO,  344,  34T, 

354,  475,  906 

Fitch, 99,  50« 

Folgtr,      .        .  .    23,  596 

Foote 90,  506 

Ford,  34,322,491,506 

Freeman,      .  33, 134,  948,  906 

Fraach,  15,  33,  34,  331,  506 

Frink,         ......      39 

Frothingham,      ....        189 

Gale,  ....  99,  134,  906 
Galea,  ...  30, 397, 506 

Gaflord,  9,  33,  38,  147,   163,  199,  314, 

408,476,477,  906 

Oeer, 34,  506 

Gilbeit,  .   19,  30,  506 

Goodenow,  .91, 906 

Goodhue,  ....  34,408,506 
Goodrioh,  ....  998,889 
Goodwin,  3D,  993,  353,  371,  491 ,  506 
Gordon,  93,  345,  367,  906 

Gott, 33,  506 

Gnnl,  374,  311,  398  ' 

Greenhill 371 

Griffin 174 

Griffilb,  Grifiltha,  93,  95,  61,  63,  391,  506 

Gri^K* 19,  507 

GriswoM, .  .        .    94, 308,  SOT 

Groul, 94,507 

Guenuej,  19,  90,  99,  134,  163,  363,  309, 

408,  430  476,  607 


526 


INDEX   OF   NAMES    OF   PERSONS. 


PAGI 

Gaizot, 89 

Gulliver,  5,6,  7,  9,  10,  15,  20,  29,  55, 116, 

134,    152,    153,    180,    238,  284,  336, 

337,  384,  427,  430,  437,  441,  447,462, 

464, 466,  481,  483,  486,  496,  507 

Hall,  .         23,162,338,485,507 

Hammond,  5, 9, 11, 15, 20, 28, 29,  57, 101, 
135,  147,  148,  153,  161,  182,  196, 
244,  251,  253,  254,  279,  301,  320, 
337,  344,  361,  369,  384,  385,  387, 
397,  405,  416,  483,  486,  491,  496, 

499,  507 

Hampden, 323 

Hanbury,     .         .  .96,  97,  433 

Hankinson,     .         .         .         .         .58 

Hannibal, 370 

Harding,         ...        22,  162,  507 

Harlow, 22,  507 

Harris,     15,  21,  23,  79,  81,  133,  134,  161, 

243,  430,  486,  507 
Hart,  .      5,15,24,408,507 

Harvard, 191 

Haskell,  ....  22,  29,  507 
Haven,  .  20,161,208,2.53,264,507 
Hawes,    5,  15,  21,  24,  133,  162,  243,  408, 

446,  507 

Haynes, 22,  507 

Hazard,  ...  24,  162,  507 

Hazcltine,  .         .        .         .23,  507 

Hazcn, 23,  507 

Healey,  .  .  .  .25,  162,  507 
Hemingway,  ....        20,  507 

Hetherington, 40 

He  wins,        ....  20,  507 

Hicks, 22,  515 

Higginson, viii 

Hill,  10,11,14,18,25,496,507 

Hinsdale 22,  507 

Hitchcock,         .         .         .         .22,  507 

Hoadley,       ....         24,507 

*     Hobart,     .         .     5,15,23,162,408,507 

Holbrook,  23,  71,  292,  320,  384,  406,  408, 

409,  414,  466,  485,  507 

Holmes,      9,  10,  23,  25,  28,  29,  133,  161, 

162,  222,  243,  253,  408,  464,  466, 

491,  .007 
Holton,  25,  134,  239,  248,  277,  385,  485, 

507 

Hook, 239 

Hooker,       .        .         .  vii.,  178, 446 


Hopkins,         23,  161,  196,  208,  239,  343. 

352,  354,  486,  507 
Howe,  ....  22,  380,  515 
Howell,  .  .  .  .  .  61,  279 
Hoyt,  5,  15,  22,  53,  134,  430,  486,  507 
Hubbard,  .  .  20,  22,  293,  507,  508 
Hughes,  .         .         .         .         .61 

Hulburd, 23,  508 

Hunt. 5, 6 

Hurd,  5,  11.  15,  22,  29,  420,  495,  508 
Hutchinson,  ....  vii.,  26 
Hyde,  .         .         20,  24, 28, 486,  508 


Ide, 
Ives, 


.  22,  253,  .508 
4,  7,  15,  21,508 


James,  .  .  .  22,  24, 61,  .'fOS 
James  (King),  ....  440 
Jenkins,  .  .  20,  208,  427,  468,  508 
Jenney,  ....  20,  208,  508 
Jennings,     .  .24,  208,  264,  508 

Jessup,     .         .         .         .         .       22,  5l»8 
Johnson,         21,  23,  55,  86,  89,  133.  162, 
208,  241,  243,  254,  264,  256,  282, 

508 
Jones,  .  20,  22,  25,  58,  61,  62,  321,  508 
Judson, 25.  508 


Kedzie, 

Keeler, 

Kelsey,     . 

Kendall, 

Kcyes, 

Kimball, 

Kinsman, 


22,  162,  208,  306,508 

.    21,  23,  408,  SOS 

.       24,  162,  508 

.       312 

.      24,  508 

22,  50S 

.      23,  SOS 

Kirk,  10, 18,22,30,  71, 101, 134,  181, 193, 

234,  244,  245,  264,  293,  336,  ^38, 

358,  390,  397,  405,  419,  447,  493, 

508 
Kittredge,         .         .         .         .      24,  508 

Knapp,  ....         24,   508 

Knight,  ...      20,  387,  508 

Knox,  .....         .45 

Kost,        ....         .         .  387 

Labaree,  .  .  24,28,71,486,508 
Laboulaye  .  .  .89,  90,  92, 93 
Lafayette,  .  .  .  188,  322. 379 
Lambert,  .  .  .  4,  5,  6,  10,  11 
Lane,  .  .  .  .20, 22,  508 
Langel, 91 


\ 


INDEX   OF   NAMES    OF   PERSONS. 


527 


PAOB 

Laogworthy,  iii.,  iv,  4,  5,  6,  7,  10, 15,  18, 
22,  28,  54,  55,  71,  82,  133,  161, 
]81,  182,  196,  208,  222,  239,  245, 
253,  313,  408,  409,  413,  426,  464, 

485,  493,  508 
Lanphcar,  ...  20, 427,  509 
Lawrence,  10,  20,  98,  161,  347,  353,  357, 

461,  509 

Learned,     ...      20,  29,  162,  509 

Leavitt,  23,  134,  354,  358,  427,  430,  437, 

439,  442,  454,  474,  492,  495,  496, 

509 

Lee, 317,377 

I^wis,         20,  23,  134,  239,  243,  387,  509 

Liggett,      .         .         .21,  134,  430,  509 

Lincoln,    63,  85,  86,  88,  91,  92,  187,  238, 

241,  243,  266,  317,  329,  380,  383, 

388,  485 

Lindsey, 377 

Linsley,         .        .  20,  239,  244,  412,  509 

Llewelyn, 61 

Lord,    ....    21,22,408,509 
Love,  5,  15,  25,  71,  208,  464,  509 

Loyola,  .        .        .        .  169 

Ludlow, 5,  6 

Lynian, 25,321 

Madoc, 323 

Maltby,      .         .         .         .22, 409,  509 

Marryat, 344 

Marvin,  10,  18,  22,  23,  71,  149,  196,  244, 
274,  395,  405,  425,  427,  467,  509 
Mary  (Qaccn),  .        .        .        .67 

Mason,       .         20,  23,  245,  343,  408,  .509 
Massio,   25,  65,  75,  85,  87,  161,  244,  316, 

321,376 
Mather,  .     ix.,  x.,  96,  427,  458 

Matthews, 61 

Maximilian,         ....  90 

May,       ...       21,  133,  243,  509 

McAll, 58 

McColIom,      ....      22,  509 
McKay,       ....  22,  509 

McKccn,         ...       24,  208,  509 

McLeod 312 

Means, 116 

Mclvin,        ...  23,  408,  509 

Merrill 20,  23,  509 

Mcrriman,  ...  25,  509 

Metcalf, 389 

Miles,         20,  22,  54,  71,  185,  193,  509 


PAGB 

Mill, 323 

Miller,  ...  20,  184,  189,  509 
Milliken,     ....  23,  509 

Mills,      ....      22,  425,  509 

Milton 67,  70,  325 

Miner,     .         .      25,  239,  408,  412,  509 

Mitchell, ix. 

Monod,  25,  60,  67,  76,  78,  83,  89,  184. 

379,  321 
Monroe,  .        .      24,  184,  509 

Montandon, 89 

Morgan,  Morgans, ....  61 
Morris,  22,  133,  243,  509 
Morse,  .  184,  354 
Murdock,  .  .  .20,  510 
Myers,  .  .  .  .  .22,  510 
Myrick, 22,  510 

Napoleon,       324,  327,  336,  377,  469, 472 

Nash, 22,  510 

Nason, 23,  510 

Nelson, 271 

Newcomb,         .        .        .       20, 22, 510 

Newell, 21,  510 

Newton, 475 

Noyes,       xi.  5,  9,  10,  21,  23,  25,  28,  134, 

222,  408,  510 
Nutting,  .  .  .  .  20, 510 
Nye, 371 

Oakes, x. 

Oliver, 61 

Obborn,  ....        23, 510 

Otis, 27 

Oviatt,  ....  20,  409,  510 
Owen, 353,  371 


Packard, 

Page, 

Paine,   . 

Painter, 

PalfVey, 

Palmer, 


Parish, 
Park, 

Parker, 


.  22,  23.  208,  510 

.  4,  15,  21,  253,  510 

.20,22,510 

24,  510 

458 

5,6,9,  10,  11,  15,  18,23,24, 
25,  28,  162, 180,  196,  231,  285, 

404,  474,  510 

24,  28,  162,  262,  510 

22,  134,  161,  357,371,  430,  444, 

463,  464,  484,  485,  486,  510 

4,  10,  15,20,21,23,24,25,  71, 

162,  208,  231,  233,  239,  262, 

408,  412,  510 


528 


INDEX   OF  NAMES    OF   PERSONS. 


PAOI 

Parsons,        ....        23, 510 

Partridge, 20,  510 

Patchin,  ...        22, 486,  510 

Patterson,  .  .        .20, 486,  510 

Patton,         20,  29,  52,  57,  64,  65,  79,  80, 

81,  100,  149,  151,  153,  248, 

257,  275,  296,  800,  319,  355, 

385,  439,  444,  456,  460,  511 

Pendleton,     .        .  .        23, 51 1 

Peregrine,         .        .        .        .    24, 511 

Perkins,         .    22,24,148,408,446,511 

Perry, 22,511 

Peters, 5,  6 

Pettengill,  .         .         .      20,71,511 

Pettibone,      ...         25,  208,  511 

Pidduck, 58 

Pike,     ....         22,  268,  51 1 

Pilatte 239 

Pius  the  Ninth,      .        .        .        .189 

Pollard, 22,  51 1 

Pomeroy,    20,  21,  28,  134,  181,  243,  244, 

269,511 
Porter,        xiv.,  20,  21,  28,  161,  174,  352, 

363,403,  511 
Post,  10,  23,  99,  133,  181,  240,  243,  244, 
250,  259,  289,  305,  380,  486,  511 
Pratt,  .  20,  22,  25,  239,  277,  387,  511 
Pressens^,  .  .  .  .  67,  93 
Preston,  .20,71,511 

Price, 61,305 

Pritchard, 61 

Punchard,        ....     457, 458 
Patnam,       5,  9,  15,  24,  29,  71, 161,  181, 

253,  511 

Quint,  iii.,  iv.,  7,  10,  15,  22,  29,  71,  78, 
80,  81,  104,  116,  117,  129,  134, 
148,  149,  150,  151,  181,  237,  245, 
246,  248,  251,  253,  258,  302,  326, 
358,  361,  375,  384,  385,  397,  400, 
405,  408,  430,  439,  447,  448,  457, 
461,  466,  475,  482,  486,  493,  495, 

497,  511 

Raleigh,      25,  57,  59,  66,  71,  75,  76,  244, 

321,  335,374,375,377 
RamBdell,        .  .         .      23,  511 

Read,  Reed,       21,  22,  162,  385,  408,  51 1 

Rces, 61, 64 

Richards,     .         .        21,23,61,408,511 
Robbins,  .        .  21,  22,  134,.  243,  511 


PAn 
Roberts, 61 

Robinson,       20,  22,  24,  35,  45,  178,  222, 

374,383,486,  497,  511 

Root, 24,  511 

Rouse, 23,  512 

Rowlands, 61 

Roy,       .         .         .25,  79,  80,  197.  512 

Runnells,    .        .        .        .  23, 512 

Russell,  .      21,22,91,253,393,512 

Ruston, 389 

Sabin,  ....  22,  512 

Safford,  ...        24,  490,  512 

Salter,  21,  23,  28,  134,  239,  277, 387,  430, 

486,  512 
Savage,   vii.,  4,  15,  20,  23,.  134,  243,  337, 

897,417,485,  511 
Sawyer,  ...        21,  440,  512 

20,  512 
.     387 

22,  239,  387,  408,  512 

23,  134,  243,  408,  512 
24,512 

24,  512 
.     22,  27,  512 

«...     323 

389 

.23,  486,  512 

.     20,  278,  408,  512 

154,161,  178,386,512 

21,512 

.     i.,  311,328 

25,  321 
25,  512 

.  5,  15 

21,  512 
21,512 

.  24,  512 
55,59,82,253,323,512 

23,512 

.  20,  512 

25,  512 

.  22,  5ia 

....      SOS 

21,208,481,485,  512 

21,  513 

381 


9, 


25 


Scarboro,    . 
Scott,     . 
Scudder,     . 
Seccombe, 
Segur, 
Selden,   . 
Sewall, 
Shaftesbury, 
Shaw, 
Shedd,    . 
Shelton,     . 
Shepard, 
Shepley, 
Sherman, 
Sherrill, 
Sherwin, 
Sickles,  . 
Sleeper, 
Sloan,    . 
Smiley, 
Smith,  20,  22, 
Snow,     . 
Soule, 
Spaulding, 
Spooner,     . 
Spurgeon, 
Stackpole, 
Stacy, 
Standish, 

St.  Clair,         .        .         .         .        22,  513 
Steams,     22,  23,  239,  385,  400,  410,  414, 

473,  513 
Stephens,  Stevens,         5,  15,  20,  62,  519 


24 


IMDBX   OF    NAMES   OF   PERSOMS. 


52d 


PAOB 

Stimson,  Stiiuon,  4,  15,  20,  513 

Stockbridge, 486 

Stoddard,        10,  18,  22,  27,  71,  153,  181, 

195,  253,  363,  397,  496,  513 
Stone,  iii.,  10,  18,  23,  25,  28,82, 153, 162, 

262,  366,  404,  513 
Storrs,  10,  15,  102,  430,  448,  486 

Streeter, 5,  15 

Strieby, 5 

Stringham,  .       54,  195 

Strong,  .23,  446,  513 

Stuart, 354 

Stnrtevant,  2,  5,  6,  7,  9, 10,  15,  20,  23, 
29,  31,  55,  65,  134,  147,  162, 196, 
238,  245,  249,  250,  255,  264,  267, 
271,  292,  326,  354,  397,  408,  485, 

486,  513 

Samner, 234 

Sunderland,  .  .    85, 87 

Swain,  24,  134,  409,  486,  492,  513 

Swan, 21,513 

Sweetser,        22,  239,  447,  467,  471,  474, 

475,  513 
Sykes,         ....  24,513 

Taft, 22,513 

Taintor, 20,513 

Talbot, 21,515 

Talcott.      .        .        .        •        .  20,313 

Tarbox, 5 

Tarr, 23,513 

Taylor,         20,  21,  22,  24,  134,  151,  208, 

477,  479,  485,  513 

Tenncy, 21, 513 

Thatcher, 27 

Thomas,  21,  25,  61,  62,  94,  208,  321,  513 
Thome,        5,  15,  24,  133,  243,  244,  287, 

292,  477,  513 

Thompson,    4,5,6,7,10,11,15,23,28, 

29, 54, 60, 82, 94, 95, 98, 151,  161, 

182,  183,  194,  196,  231,  251,  253, 

257,  328,  347,  370,  387,  388,  409, 

415,  447,  486,  499,  513 

Thurston,  22,  208,  481,  482,  513 

Titcomb 21,513 

Tobey,     Hi.,  iv.,  10,  18,  23,  25,  365,  368, 

408,  513 
Todd,  21,  22,  82,  116,  150, 184, 189, 190, 

196,  252,  275,  296,  298,  514 

Toombs, 193 

Toothaker,  .21, 514 

84 


PAGS 


Torrey, 24,514 

Tupper, 20,  514 

Turner,  xii,  5,  15,  21,  71,  208,  272,  280, 

292,  493,  514 
Twining,  .  .  19,  162, 299,  514 
Tyler 24,  408,  514 

Upham, 457,  458 

Vallette, 89 

Vaughan,     25,  30,  31,  57,  59,  66,  71,  73, 
93,  94,  321,  329,  335,  372,  378,  422 

Vaurigaud, 89 

Victoria  (Queen),       ...  63 

Vinet, 67,93 


Walker,      21,  22,  24,  117,  134,  147,  296, 

326,  338,  514 
..  23,  514 
.  23,  24,  514 
22,  27,  54,  193,  195,  514 
322,379 
24,61,514 
21,208,408,514 
Webb,     22,  208,  300,  466,  482,  483,  485, 

514 
Webster,  20,  133,  188,  243,  514 

Weld, viii. 

Wellman,  5,  10,  15,  18,  22,  23,  115,  417, 

497,  514 
Wells, 305 


Wallace,    . 
Warner, 
Warren,    . 
Washington, 
Watkins,  . 
Watson, 


Wesley, 
Wheeler, 
Wheelock, . 
Wheelwright, 
Whipple,     . 
White,    . 
Whitefield, 
Whitmore, 
Whittington, 
Whittlesey,    . 
Wickes,     . 
Wilder  . 
Wilkes,     . 
Willard, 
Willcox,  . 
Willey, 


.     37,40 

20,  133,  243,  514 

.  24,514 

•  ■ 

.       TU. 

5 

20,  514 
.   27,303 

.       22,  514 

61 

.  20,  29,  150,  514 

.     24,  208,  408,  514 

23,  208,  514 

.     76, 321 

20,  22,  27,  408,  514 

.     22,  514 

21,  514 


WilUams,     20,  23,  24,  61,  239,  253,  258, 

387,  481,  485,  514,  515 
Williston,  22,  161,  253,  262,  515 


Wilson, 


22,  59,  381,  515 


680 


INDEX  OF    NAMES   OF   PERSONS. 


PAOB 

Winslow,  23,24,515 

Winthrop,       Tii.,  Tiii.,  54,  186, 193,  381 

Wolcott,       24,  29,  71,  99,  100, 101, 181, 

196,  208,  233,  238,  249,  250,  258, 

298,  347,  358,  384,  387,  394,  420, 

474,  475,  477,  481,  482,  515 

Wood,    .  .22,23,321,515 

Woodford,  .20,515 

Woodrofl^  28,85,515 


Woods,      .  .    21,354,445,515 

Woolsej, 343 

WoTceBter, 354 

Wright,       .20,  22,  24,  239,  253,  393,  515 

Xayier, 169 

Tonng,  ....       162,312,515 


I 


jC 


3  2044  077964^4